The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has developed a set of quality management standards that organizations can adhere to in order to ensure customer satisfaction and continuous improvement. Two versions of these standards, ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 9001:2008, have been widely implemented by companies across the globe. This article aims to highlight the key differences between these two versions.
Evolution from ISO 9001:2000 to 9001:2008
ISO 9001:2000 was released in December 2000 and represented a significant update to its predecessor, ISO 9001:1994. It introduced several new concepts and requirements, including the process approach, continual improvement, and customer satisfaction measurement. However, ISO 9001:2008 was published to provide clarification and make minor improvements to the existing standard, rather than significant changes.
Changes and Enhancements in ISO 9001:2008
The primary goal of ISO 9001:2008 was to refine and enhance the requirements of ISO 9001:2000. One of the main changes involved the of clarifications to ambiguous areas within the standard. These clarifications aimed to reduce any confusion or misinterpretation amongst organizations implementing the standard.
Another change introduced in ISO 9001:2008 related to documentation requirements. The previous version had specific requirements for documents such as quality manual, quality policy, and quality objectives. However, ISO 9001:2008 emphasized the need for organizations to determine the necessary documentation based on processes' complexity and their associated risks.
Transition from ISO 9001:2000 to 9001:2008
Organizations previously certified to ISO 9001:2000 were allowed a transition period to comply with the updated requirements of ISO 9001:2008. During this transition phase, organizations were required to review and identify any necessary changes to their existing quality management system to meet the new standard's requirements. However, it is important to note that ISO 9001:2008 only includes minor amendments; therefore, the transition process was relatively straightforward for most organizations.
In conclusion, while both ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 9001:2008 are quality management standards developed by ISO, the latter version represents a refinement and clarification of the former. The primary objective of ISO 9001:2008 was to streamline the requirements and enhance clarity, rather than major changes to the previous version.
Nina She