QIC Guru

This latest (4th) edition of ISO 9001 contains no new requirements compared to the (3rd) year 2000 edition, which it replaces. What it does is provide clarification to the existing requirements of ISO 9001:2000 based on eight years experience of worldwide implementing of the standard and introduces changes intended to improve consistency with the environmental management system standard, ISO 14001:2004.

The clarifications and changes in ISO 9001:2008 represent fine-tuning, rather than a thorough overhaul. It focuses on changes that organizations might make to better comply with the spirit of the standard without adding, deleting, or altering its requirements. The changes are minor in nature and address such issues as the need to clarify, provide greater consistency, resolve perceived ambiguities, and improve compatibility with ISO 14001. The numbering system and the structure of the standard remain unchanged. As a result, the new standard looks much like the old standard.

So don’t let the new standard scare you away from you iso 9001 certification plans. If you are struggling with whether or not the time is right for your company, there are many business process management tools to help you along. If you are sitting on the fence, now is the time to act before the economy really gets going again. Just a question: Who would you rather buy from, a company with a proven quality system or one that doesn’t have a clue and isn’t willing to learn? The whole world can’t be wrong.