EN ISO 9001:2008

EN ISO 9001:2008 is the standard that sets out requirements for a quality management system, focusing on how an organisation plans, controls and continually improves its processes. This edition is a revision of ISO 9001:2000, so its subject is the management system architecture rather than product characteristics alone.

The core logic of a quality management system

In general technical terms, a quality management system is the way an organisation defines, applies, measures and improves its processes in order to achieve its objectives. The ISO 9001 family is the most widely recognised reference for this approach. The word “requirements” indicates that the standard provides a minimum framework for establishing, maintaining and assessing a QMS; it does not, by itself, specify a product design, a manufacturing method, or sector-specific performance details.

What this standard is about

• Treating organisational activities as an interconnected process system
• Supporting consistent product and service conformity with customer needs
• Providing a framework for documented information, responsibilities and management review
• Encouraging corrective action and continual improvement when nonconformities occur

This record is also marked as withdrawn, so it represents a historical edition. Even so, it remains an important reference for understanding the process approach, the use of measurement results, management commitment and the broader structure of quality management practice.