Originally Published MPMN November 2008

NEED TO KNOW

ASQ Offers Updated Version of ISO 9001 Standard

The American Association for Quality (ASQ; Milwaukee, WI) has announced the release of the latest version of the ISO 9001 standard. The ISO 9001:2008 standard for quality management systems (QMS) will replace the ISO 9001:2000 standard currently implemented in 170 countries.

“By implementing a QMS, organizations can achieve consistent processes, customer satisfaction, and continuous improvement,” says Roberto Saco, ASQ president. “In addition, QMS systems work to remove those processes that aren’t customer or ISO requirements, thus increasing efficiency.”

Although the release of the standard will require action by manufacturers, ISO 9001:2008 is not a radically new standard, but rather an amendment to ISO 9001:2000, according to ASQ. Featuring no new or deleted requirements, ISO 9001:2008 updates center on clarifications, improved compatibility with ISO 14001, consistency within the ISO 9000 family, or improved translation.

“Quality management systems add great value to an organization,” says Lorri Hunt, deputy task group leader for the international amendment to ISO 9001:2008. “It depends on the organization to be diligent on how they implement the standard to ensure they provide a product that the customer wants.”

Companies certified to the ISO 9001:2000 standard will have 24 months to transition to ISO 9001:2008, according to ASQ. Members can purchase the standard from ASQ for $76; nonmembers can obtain it from the organization for $95. Compliance will be verified on a surveillance or recertification audit.

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