The International Organization for Standardization in September released ISO 9001:2026, replacing the 2015 standard used by more than one million organizations worldwide.

Most of the existing requirements remain the same, but several changes will affect how manufacturers prevent defects, reduce waste, manage production changes and deal with customers.

Here are five worth knowing about.

1. Take a closer look at what could go wrong (Clause 6.1.2)

The new standard encourages manufacturers to be more thorough when assessing risks. It's not enough to simply list what could go wrong as a risk and record it in a risk register. They need to work out how likely that risk is, how much damage it could cause and whether their existing checks to prevent it are good enough. For example, if raw materials from a supplier sometimes arrive below specification, the quality and purchasing teams need to assess the risk of those materials reaching production and decide whether incoming inspections are sufficient.

The goal is simple: catch potential quality problems before they turn into defective products, wasted materials or customer complaints.

It's much cheaper to catch a problem early than discover it after the product has reached the customer.

2. Find ways to cut waste and improve quality (Clause 6.1.3)

The revised standard places a big focus on identifying improvement opportunities. Manufacturers are expected to consider where they could improve, decide which ideas are worth pursuing and check whether the changes deliver results. For example, if one production line has an 8% scrap rate while another runs at 2%, the production and quality teams should investigate the difference. A change to tooling, machine setup or work instructions might reduce that waste.

The most important part is measuring the results. If scrap falls from 8% to 3%, the manufacturer can see exactly how much waste has been reduced.

A great improvement isn't just an idea that gets implemented; it's one that delivers measurable results!

3. Don't let production targets override quality (Clauses 5.1.1 and 7.3)

The new standard puts more emphasis on quality culture and ethical behavior. Managers need to make it clear that getting orders out the door on time is never a reason to cut corners on quality. For example, if a worker discovers a batch of incorrectly labeled products just before dispatch, they should feel comfortable stopping the shipment and reporting the problem, even if it delays delivery. Quality managers and supervisors need to support these decisions, rather than putting workers under pressure to look the other way.

A worker who raises a quality problem should be thanked, not told to keep the line moving.

4. Check that changes actually work (Clause 6.3)

Manufacturers often make changes to improve quality or speed up production. The revised standard puts more emphasis on telling the right people about changes, checking whether they worked and reviewing the results. For example, a factory might introduce barcode scanning to improve product traceability. The quality manager needs to ensure workers understand the new process and check that it correctly tracks products without introducing scanning or labeling errors.

Installing the equipment and training staff is only part of the job. The manufacturer also needs to confirm that the change delivered the expected improvement.

It's the outcome, not the output, that matters most.

5. Keep customers informed when things go wrong (Clause 8.2.1)

The updated standard is clearer about communicating with customers when unexpected problems affect the supply of products or services. For example, if a supplier suddenly stops delivering a critical component, the manufacturer needs to establish which customer orders will be affected, communicate any likely delays and explain what alternative arrangements are available.

Production planners, purchasing teams and customer service staff need to work together so customers receive accurate information rather than discovering there's a problem when their order fails to arrive.

Customers can plan around a delay. They can't plan around a surprise.

What should manufacturers do now?

Start by checking how your factory currently handles these five areas. Look at what already works, where problems keep occurring and which processes need improving. For most manufacturers, the transition should mean improving the way quality is managed every day, rather than rewriting procedures that are already working.

Click here for 8DFlow’s clause-by-clause guide to the changes in ISO 9001:2026: https://8dflow.com/guides/iso-9001-2026