ISO 9000:2015 – Quality management systems – Fundamentals and vocabulary

First revision in 10 years!

ISO 9000:2015 describes the fundamental concepts and principles of quality management which are universally applicable to the following:

• organizations seeking sustained success through the implementation of a quality management system;
• customers seeking confidence in an organization’s ability to consistently provide products and services conforming to their requirements;
• organizations seeking confidence in their supply chain that product and service requirements will be met;
• organizations and interested parties seeking to improve communication through a common understanding of the vocabulary used in quality management;
• organizations performing conformity assessments against the requirements of ISO 9001;
• providers of training, assessment or advice in quality management;
• developers of related standards.

ISO 9000:2015 specifies the terms and definitions that apply to all quality management and quality management system standards developed by ISO/TC 176.

The quality management concepts and principles described in this International Standard give the organization the capacity to meet challenges presented by an environment that is profoundly different from recent decades. The context in which and organization works today is characterized by accelerated change, globalization of markets and the emergence of knowledge as a principle resource. The impact of quality extends beyon customer satisfaction: it can also have a direct impact on the organization’s reputation.

Society has become better educated and more demanding, making interested parties increasingly more influential. By providing fundamental concepts and principles to be used in the development of a quality management system (QMS), this International Standard provides a way of thinking about the organization more broadly.