ISO 9001 certification and the 2026 transition
A new edition of ISO 9001 is expected in September 2026. Whether you are certifying for the first time or moving an existing certificate across, we build the system and take you through the audit.
ISO 9001 is the international standard for quality management systems — how a company plans work, controls it, checks it and improves it. For contractors it is often demanded alongside ISO 45001 on pre-qualification, and for manufacturers it is frequently a condition of supply.
The edition in force has been ISO 9001:2015. A sixth edition has completed voting and is in final production with ISO, expected in September 2026. Certificates issued to the 2015 edition normally get a three-year transition window from the publication date, so there is time — but if your recertification falls inside that window, it is worth planning the move now rather than doing it twice.
Who we do this for
First-time certification
You have been asked for ISO 9001 by a client or a tender and need a system built from nothing.
Transition to the new edition
You hold a 2015 certificate and want the move handled in one planned piece of work rather than discovered at your next surveillance audit.
Integrated systems
You already run ISO 45001 or ISO 14001 and want quality folded into the same system instead of a parallel set of paperwork.
What the process looks like
- Gap analysis. Where you stand against the standard, clause by clause, in writing — and for existing certificate holders, what specifically changes under the new edition.
- Scope and processes. We map how work actually flows through your business, because a quality system built on a template nobody recognises will not survive its first audit.
- Build the system. Quality policy, objectives, risk and opportunity, document and record control, nonconformity and corrective action, supplier controls.
- Documentation. Procedures and records at the level of detail your assessor expects — no more than that.
- Internal audit and management review. Run and recorded, so you walk into the audit with the evidence already on file.
- Certification audit. Stage 1 and Stage 2 with your certification body. We attend and close out any findings.
An important distinction: Shamrock Safety prepares your company for assessment and supports you through it. The certificate is issued by an independent accredited certification body, never by your consultant.
Common questions
When exactly is ISO 9001:2026 published?
ISO lists the sixth edition as being in final production, with September 2026 given as the expected publication month. Until it is formally published, ISO 9001:2015 remains the standard in force and certificates against it remain valid.
How long will we have to transition?
Transition periods for these standards are normally three years from the publication date, set by the accreditation forum rather than by ISO itself. Your certification body will confirm the exact deadline once the standard is out. Do not leave it to the last surveillance visit — audit slots get scarce toward the end of a transition window.
We are a small contractor. Is ISO 9001 overkill?
Sometimes, and we will tell you if we think so. If nobody is asking you for it and you are not chasing work that requires it, your money is better spent elsewhere. If it keeps appearing on pre-qualification forms, it pays for itself on the first contract it wins.
Can we do ISO 9001, 45001 and 14001 together?
Yes. The three share a common high-level structure, so an integrated system means one manual, one internal audit programme and one management review instead of three. It is meaningfully cheaper to run.
Also from Shamrock Safety: ISO 45001 · ISO 14001 · Safe-T-Cert · Site safety audits
Talk to us about it
Tell us the size of your company and what your clients are asking for, and we will come back within one working day with a fixed price and a realistic timeline.
Prefer to talk? Call 086 102 1944, or email info@shamrockehs.com.
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