Transition planning guidance document, prepared by the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) in cooperation with ISO/TC 176/SC 2/WG 23, has been published by the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) that provides guidance for the transition from ISO 9001:2008 to ISO 9001:2015. This document can be seen at IAF website at http://www.iaf.nu/upFiles/IAFID9Transition9001PublicationVersion.pdf.
According to a IAF resolution 2013-15 passed by the IAF General Assembly in Seoul (South Korea) on 23 October 2013, the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the ISO Committee on Conformity Assessment (CASCO) have agreed to a three year transition period from the publication date of ISO 9001:2015 standard. ISO 9001:2015 standard is expected to be published in the last quarter of 2015.
ISO 9001:2008 certifications will not be valid after three years from the publication date of ISO 9001:2015 standard.
The guidance document provides specific guidance for interested parties involved in certification and accreditation services. According to the guidance document, for any organization the degree of change necessary will be dependent upon maturity and effectiveness of the current management system, organizational structure and practices, therefore an impact analysis / gap assessment is strongly recommeded in order to identify realistic resources and time implications.
The IAF document also provides guidance to organizations implementing ISO 9001:2008 QMS standard. The document recommends to take following actions by the organizations implementing ISO 9001:2008 QMS standard:
- Identify organizational gaps which needs to be addressed to meet new requirements of ISO 9001:2015
- Develop an implementation plan for ISO 9001:2015 implementation in the organization
- Provide appropriate training and awareness for all parties that have an impact on the organization's effectiveness
- Update the existing quality management system of the organization to meet the revised requirements and provide verification of effectiveness
- Liaise with certification body for transition arrangements, where applicable (i.e. where the organization seeks certification).
It has been suggested that preparation can be carried out at the DIS stage, however significant changes should not be implemented until the Final Draft International Standard (FDIS) to ISO 9001:2015 is issued and the technical content of the forthcoming standard is finalised.
The editor of this blog has designed a awareness training. Those interested, in 'Forthcoming ISO 9001:2015 QMS Awareness Training' in Ajmer, Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Goa, may contact by sending an email mentioning proposed date of training and number of participants.
- Keshav Ram Singhal
