Why climate change can't be ignored in ISO certification

Auditing Climate Change in ISO 9001: Practical Guidance for Auditors With the integration of climate change considerations into ISO 9001, auditors play a critical role in helping organizations evaluate how these issues impact their Quality Management Systems (QMS). But how do you audit these new requirements effectively? Here’s a clause-by-clause breakdown to guide you: 1) Clause 4.1: Understanding the Organization and its Context Organizations must determine if climate change is a relevant issue affecting their purpose and ability to achieve QMS objectives. As an auditor, evaluate if external and internal factors like regulatory changes, market trends, or supply chain vulnerabilities have been assessed. 2) Clause 4.2: Understanding the Needs and Expectations of Interested Parties Check if organizations have identified climate-related requirements from stakeholders, such as customers, regulators, or industry groups, and whether these are incorporated into the QMS. 3) Clause 6.1: Actions to Address Risks and Opportunities Review how organizations identify risks (e.g., supply chain disruptions from extreme weather) and opportunities (e.g., new markets for sustainable products) related to climate change. Assess if these are integrated into their QMS plans. 4) Clause 7.1: Resources Evaluate whether climate-related considerations impact resource planning, including infrastructure, operational environments, and organizational knowledge. 5) Clause 8: Operations Ensure climate change requirements are addressed in processes such as design, production, and external provider controls. Examples include eco-design, product traceability, and managing claims like carbon neutrality. 6) Clause 9: Performance Evaluation Look for evidence of monitoring and measuring climate-related impacts and customer satisfaction. Confirm that management reviews consider climate change as part of decision-making and improvement initiatives. Why it Matters: These amendments ensure organizations proactively address climate-related challenges, enhancing their sustainability and resilience. As auditors, we must ensure that climate change considerations are effectively identified and integrated into the QMS without losing focus on its intended outcomes. Let’s ensure a greener and more sustainable future through robust auditing practices. For more insights, connect or explore the latest ISO guidance! #ISO9001 #ClimateAction #AuditingPractices #Sustainability #DNV

🚨 Exciting news for Quality Management! ISO 9001:2026 is on its way, offering important updates without a radical overhaul. Here are the core changes every leader and quality professional should know: 🌍 Climate Change Considerations - Formal integration of climate change into Clause 4.1—organizations must consider it as part of their context. 🧑💼 Leadership & Culture - Top management now required to actively promote and demonstrate a quality culture & ethical behavior (Clause 5.1.1). 📜 Quality Policy - The quality policy must explicitly reflect the organization's context and strategic direction. ⚖️ Risk & Opportunity Management - Clause 6.1 reorganized into new sub-clauses for clearer, more practical risk & opportunity management; expanded guidance in Annex A. 💡 Employee Awareness - Staff must now be aware of quality culture and ethical behavior, as required in Clause 7.3. 🤖 Digitalization & Technology - Greater recognition of the impacts of digital transformation, software, and new tech in quality monitoring and measurement. ♻️ Sustainability & Stakeholders - Enhanced emphasis on sustainability, stakeholder engagement, and social responsibility, especially through climate focus. 💬 Editorial & Guidance Improvements - Improved implementation guidance and explanations in non-mandatory sections, plus better consistency with other ISO standards. 🟢 The transition for ISO 9001:2015-compliant organizations will be smooth, with minimal new requirements. #ISO9001 #QualityManagement #QMS #Leadership #ClimateAction #ContinuousImprovement

The upcoming ISO 9001:2026 brings a sharper focus on today’s realities compared to ISO 9001:2015. Beyond product quality, it now emphasizes: -- Climate change relevance (mandatory from Amendment 1:2024) -- Stronger risk vs opportunity management -- Quality culture & ethical leadership as auditable elements -- Digitalization – controls for data, AI, cybersecurity, and software-driven processes -- Supply chain assurance including SaaS and outsourced processes -- Expanded knowledge management for service-driven and remote work environments This shift means audits will probe not just compliance, but how leadership, culture, and digital processes drive sustainable quality outcomes. Organizations should start preparing now—updating risk registers, management reviews, supplier controls, and digital-readiness. The transition period will run 2026–2029, but early movers will turn compliance into a competitive advantage. #ISO9001 #QualityManagement #DigitalTransformation #Sustainability #Leadership

📢 Important ISO 9001 Updates! 📢 In the last 2 years: ➡️ Minor Amendment (Feb 2024): ISO 9001:2015 was updated to explicitly require organizations to consider climate change as a relevant external factor and in understanding interested parties' needs. This means integrating climate-related risks and opportunities into your QMS. ➡️ Major Revision on the Horizon (ISO 9001:2026): The next major update is coming in September 2026! Key expected changes include: 🔷 Stronger Risk Management: More emphasis on formalizing risk processes (including cybersecurity, supply chain). 🔷 Enhanced Stakeholder Engagement: Greater focus on the needs of all relevant parties. 🔷 Digital Transformation Integration: Incorporating aspects of Industry 4.0 and digital tools. 🔷 Increased Sustainability & Social Responsibility: More explicit requirements in these areas. 🔷 Improved Alignment: Further harmonization with other management system standards. 🔷 Greater Flexibility: Aiming for easier implementation for diverse organizations. 🔷 Emphasis on Ethics & Integrity. 🔷 Stronger Supply Chain Management. 🔷 Increased Employee Engagement focus. Current Status: The revision is in the Committee Draft 2 (CD2) stage. What this means for you: If you're ISO 9001 certified, start thinking about these upcoming changes and how they might impact your QMS. A transition period will follow the 2026 release. Stay informed! #ISO9001 #QualityManagement #QMS #ISO90012026 #ClimateChange #RiskManagement #Sustainability #DigitalTransformation

ISO 9001:2026 Revision – What You Need to Know! 🌍 The world’s most recognized quality management standard is evolving — but with a slight delay. Initially expected in 2025, the revision is now targeted for 2026, following the ISO/TC 176 decision to issue a second committee draft (CD2) to address key structural and content challenges. ✒️ So, what’s coming in ISO 9001:2026? The update isn’t just a refresh — it’s a shift toward resilience, sustainability, and digital agility. 🔑 Expected Key Changes: 1️⃣ Resilience & Supply Chain Management – Stronger requirements to withstand disruptions and reinforce supply chain stability. 2️⃣ Sustainability & Climate Considerations – Mandatory integration of climate change, sustainability, and ethics into QMS processes. 3️⃣ Digital Transformation & Industry 4.0 – Provisions for AI, IoT, big data, cybersecurity, and digital competence. 4️⃣ Leadership & Culture – Greater emphasis on ethical leadership, accountability, empowerment, and a traceable quality culture. 5️⃣ Risk & Opportunity Management – Clearer separation, stronger linkage to digital resilience and climate-related risks. 6️⃣ Alignment with Other Standards – Transition from HLS to the new Harmonized Structure (HS), ensuring consistency with ISO 14001, ISO 45001, etc. 7️⃣ Performance & Improvement – Stronger focus on data-driven evaluation, dashboards, real-time metrics, root cause analysis, and CAPA effectiveness. 🌟 Why It Matters : ISO 9001:2026 ensures quality systems remain relevant, resilient, and future-ready — embedding sustainability, embracing digital transformation, and aligning with global expectations. 📌 How Organizations Can Prepare Now: -Address the 2024 climate amendment gap. -Review risks, opportunities, and context with a future-focused lens. -Conduct a transition gap assessment. -Strengthen internal audits with a focus on digital competence and resilience. 🔥 The revision isn’t just about compliance — it’s about building a QMS that thrives in an era of disruption, sustainability demands, and digital change. 👉 What change do you think will have the biggest impact — sustainability, digitalization, or resilience? Let’s discuss! 👇 ==== Follow me at Govind Tiwari,PhD #ISO9001 #ISO9001_2026 #QualityManagement #Sustainability #RiskManagement #DigitalTransformation Suryakant Bhavikatty Mantosh Narayan Gupta Krishna Nand Ojha Naveen K Abdulmajid Patel Manickavasagam Natarajan Balaji L R