The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) plans to issue revisions to the 9001 and 14001 standards by the end of 2015. These standards relate to quality management systems (9001) and environmental management systems (14001). Organizations certified in either of these standards must attain compliance by the end of the transition period, which is three years from the revision’s issue date. It is imperative to prepare for the new versions as soon as practical—when the transition period is over, the old versions are no longer valid and registrars will begin auditing to the new standards. Certified organizations should check with their ISO registrar for more information regarding compliance.
Changes to ISO 9001 reflect three major themes:
• Integrating the process-based approach of ISO 9001 with the organization’s strategic direction.
• Applying Plan-Check-Do-Act on the management system as a whole, not just individual processes within the system. This includes how processes within the management system interact with one another.
• Reducing undesirable process outcomes by focusing on risk-based thinking.
Similarly, changes to ISO 14001 emphasize a holistic approach to environmental management and the interaction of processes within the system. The revision to ISO 14001 aims to improve the effectiveness of an organization’s environmental management system for the benefit of the organization, but also impacted communities.
The increased focus on a more holistic view of ISO 9001 and 14001 will serve to make those systems easier to integrate with one another and with other management systems.
If you have questions about ISO 9001 or ISO 14001 or would like to know more about how to become certified in international and industry standards, contact Freer Consulting at (206) 285-9044 or [email protected].