ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 Revisions: What Organisations Should Know

International Standards are designed to evolve alongside changes in industry, technology and business practices. As part of ISO's regular review process, standards are periodically assessed to determine whether they remain relevant or require revision.

Two of the world's most widely adopted management system standards, ISO 9001 and ISO 45001, are currently progressing through the ISO revision process. While revised versions have not yet been published, many organisations are understandably asking what this means for their existing certifications and whether any action is required.

Here's what we know today.

Where Do the ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 Revisions Currently Stand?

The development of an International Standard follows a structured process involving experts from ISO member countries.

As of July 2026:

• ISO 9001 (Quality Management Systems) has reached the Final Draft International Standard (FDIS) stage. This is the final stage before publication, subject to approval by ISO member bodies.

• ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems) has reached the Draft International Standard (DIS) stage, where ISO member bodies are reviewing the proposed draft and providing comments before the standard progresses further.

  
  

These milestones indicate that work on both standards is continuing, but the current published standards remain the only certification requirements.

For certified organisations, this means:

• ISO 9001:2015 (including Amendment 1:2024) remains the current published Quality Management System standard.

• ISO 45001:2018 (including Amendment 1:2024) remains the current published Occupational Health and Safety Management System standard.

  
  

Until revised standards are officially published and transition arrangements are announced by ISO, accreditation bodies and certification bodies, organisations should continue to operate in accordance with the current published versions.

Is any immediate action required?

In most cases, no immediate changes are required.

The revision process can take several years, and organisations are not expected to implement draft requirements before new standards are officially published.

Instead, organisations should continue maintaining effective management systems by:

• Completing planned Internal Audits.

• Carrying out regular Management Reviews.

• Monitoring risks and opportunities.

• Addressing nonconformities.

• Demonstrating continual improvement.

• Meeting the requirements of their current certified standard.

  
  

These activities remain fundamental regardless of where a standard sits within the ISO revision process.

Why this is still a good opportunity to review your management system

Although certification requirements have not changed, many organisations use revision periods as an opportunity to assess whether their management systems are still delivering value.

Over time, businesses naturally evolve. Processes change, teams grow, new technologies are introduced and customer expectations develop. If management systems are not reviewed regularly, they can gradually become focused on maintaining certification rather than supporting business performance.

Some useful questions to consider include:

• Do our documented processes still reflect how the organisation operates today?

• Are Internal Audits identifying meaningful opportunities for improvement?

• Are corrective actions being closed effectively?

• Is our management system helping leaders make informed decisions?

• Does our system support continual improvement, rather than simply demonstrating compliance?

  
  

These questions are relevant whether or not a revised ISO standard is approaching publication.

Avoid relying on speculation

Whenever ISO standards are under revision, it's common to see articles predicting new requirements or discussing draft content.

However, it's important to remember that draft standards are still subject to review and may change before publication.

For that reason, organisations should base decisions on officially published information from ISO and guidance issued by their certification or accreditation bodies, rather than assumptions about future requirements.

How Base Solutions can help

Whether your organisation is certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 or ISO 45001, maintaining an effective management system requires ongoing attention, not just preparation for external audits.

Our consultants support organisations through:

• Internal Audits

• ISO Consultancy

• Gap Analysis

• Management System Reviews

• Compliance Support

  
  

Our aim is to help organisations ensure their management systems remain practical, effective and capable of supporting continual improvement, both now and as future revisions are introduced.

If you'd like to discuss your current management system or review how effectively it supports your organisation, we'd be happy to help.

Email: info@basesolutionsltd.com

Phone: +44 (0)333 772 9874

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