ISO 9001 Definition

ISO 9001 is the world’s leading standard for Quality Management Systems (QMS), providing companies with a systematic foundation to consistently deliver high-quality products and services and to continuously improve their processes.

ISO 9001:2015, published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), sets out the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving a Quality Management System (QMS). It ensures that companies meet customer requirements as well as applicable legal and regulatory obligations.

Core principles of the standard:

• Process orientation & risk-based thinking: The standard follows the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle and promotes process-oriented thinking, including the consideration of risks and opportunities.
• Leadership responsibility & continuous improvement: Top management must support the QMS, set objectives, evaluate performance, and drive continuous improvement.
• Universal applicability: ISO 9001 can be applied across all industries, from manufacturing and services to technology and community organizations.
  

Key benefits: include greater efficiency, cost reduction, higher customer satisfaction, and improved compliance.

Adoption & relevance: With more than one million ISO 9001 certificates issued worldwide, it is the most widely used ISO standard.

A revision is currently expected (likely ISO 9001:2026), with climate risks anticipated to become a more relevant contextual factor in quality management.

For manufacturing companies, ISO 9001 provides a proven framework for documented processes, ideally suited to integrate with CO₂ accounting, ESG data management, and CSRD reporting. It supports supplier evaluation, Scope 3 data collection, and ensures audit readiness – making quality an enabler for sustainability.