ISO 9001 | Quality Management Systems Certification

ISO 9001 is a quality management system standard that is recognized globally and implemented by more than 1.2 million organizations. The standard is used by organizations in virtually every industry to help meet customer expectations, continually improve, and show a commitment to quality.

ISO 9001:2015 is the latest revision, published in September 2015, however, an amendment addressing climate action was added in 2024. Additionally, the ISO committee responsible for ISO 9001 has released a plan for a new version of the standard to be published in September 2026.

Some of the key benefits of ISO 9001 certification are processes and a culture that promotes operational efficiency, customer confidence, and risk mitigation. ISO 9001 is also a benchmark for quality management internationally, meaning that companies with ISO 9001 certification are in a better position to access new and expanding markets.

ISO 9001 certification can range in price significantly based on a variety of factors including the size of the organization, the number of locations that need to be audited, the complexity of operations, the industry and more. Likewise, the length of time may also vary based on several factors. If you would like a quote for ISO 9001 certification, contact us at business.assurance@intertek.com.

ISO 9001 is suitable for most organizations, but is particularly frequently used in manufacturing, the service industry, and the construction industry. ISO 9001 is also the baseline for industry standards with the IATF 16949 automotive industry standard and AS 9100 series aerospace industry standards building on top of the ISO 9001 standard with industry-specific, and in many cases, more stringent requirements. Additionally, the ISO 13485 medical devices industry standard and the ISO 22000 food safety management systems standard reference and build on the core concepts exhibited in ISO 9001.

There are seven Quality Management Principles (QMPs) put forth by ISO 9001: customer focus, leadership, engagement of people, process approach, improvement, evidence‑based decision making, and relationship management. ISO 9001 is constructed of 10 clauses with clauses 1-3 (scope, normative references, and terms and definitions) representing introductory and background information, and clauses 4–10 (context of the organization, leadership, planning, support, operation, performance evaluation, improvement) representing the core requirements of the standard.

Risk-based thinking is a systematic approach to considering risk in a quality management system. Core concepts of risk-based thinking are embedded throughout the ISO 9001 standard with an emphasis on identifying risks and opportunities, and mitigating risk. There is a multitude of methods used to assess risk including SWOT Analyses, Root Cause Analyses, Failure Modes and Effects Analyses, and more.

Generally, certificates are valid using a three-year cycle, with the certification body conducting certification or recertification audits in year one, and surveillance audits in years two and three. More information on the certification process can be found by reading Seven Steps to Certification.

ISO 9001 was published by the Internation Organization for Standardization. The standard document is available for purchase through Intertek Inform.

Yes. ISO 9001 shares a common structure with other standards like ISO 14001 (Environmental) and ISO 45001 (Occupational Health & Safety), making integration straightforward. This group of standards is typically abbreviated as QHSE (Quality, Health and Safety, and Environmental).

Yes. Intertek provides a full suite of training courses, including awareness, internal auditor, and lead auditor courses, available in person, virtually, on-site, or elearning.

Courses are available in North America, Austrailia, United Kingdom, and more.