What to Expect During Your ISO 9001:2026 Audit

Preparing for your ISO 9001:2026 transition assessment

If your organisation is currently certified to ISO 9001:2015, your transition assessment will provide an opportunity for IPC to assess how your Quality Management System (QMS) has addressed the requirements of ISO 9001:2026.

The transition should not be viewed as starting your certification from scratch. The assessment will focus on the revised requirements, their application to your organisation and any changes made to your QMS.

Before Your Audit

Good preparation will help make the transition assessment straightforward.

Before the audit, you should have:

• Reviewed ISO 9001:2026

• Considered how the revised requirements apply to your organisation

• Completed an appropriate gap analysis

• Identified any areas requiring change

• Implemented necessary changes

• Updated relevant documented information where required

• Ensured relevant personnel understand any changes affecting their responsibilities

• Considered how you will demonstrate that changes are operating effectively

You should also ensure that relevant records and other evidence are available to the auditor.

What Will the Auditor Look At?

The auditor will assess how your organisation has addressed the revised requirements.

This will include consideration of the changes introduced by ISO 9001:2026 and whether they have been appropriately incorporated into your QMS.

The auditor may examine areas including:

Leadership and Quality Culture

The revised requirements place additional emphasis on organisational quality culture and ethical behaviour.

The auditor may therefore explore how these are reflected in your organisation's values, attitudes and established practices.

Risks and Opportunities

The revised structure of Clause 6.1 will be considered.

The auditor may examine how your organisation determines and addresses risks and opportunities and whether the approach remains appropriate to your context.

Planning of Changes

Where your organisation makes changes that affect the QMS, the auditor may consider how those changes are planned, communicated, monitored and reviewed.

Awareness

The revised requirements include organisational quality culture and ethical behaviour within awareness.

The auditor may therefore speak with relevant personnel to establish their understanding of the QMS and any changes relevant to their roles.

Management Review

Your management review arrangements will be considered against the revised requirements.

This may include how changes in the needs and expectations of relevant interested parties are considered.

Documented Information

The auditor may review how documented information is maintained, controlled and made available within your QMS.

Will the Auditor Ask Employees Questions?

Potentially.

As with a normal ISO 9001 audit, auditors may speak with personnel at different levels and in different functions to establish how the QMS operates in practice.

Questions will depend on the person's role and the processes being assessed.

For example, personnel may be asked about:

• Their responsibilities

• Relevant quality objectives

• Risks and opportunities affecting their work

• Changes to processes

• Where relevant information or procedures can be found

• How they contribute to the effectiveness of the QMS

Employees are not expected to memorise the standard. They should understand the processes and responsibilities relevant to their role.

Will the Whole QMS Be Audited Again?

The transition assessment is not intended to duplicate the entire certification audit solely because the standard has been revised.

The auditor will assess the transition requirements alongside the applicable audit activity being undertaken.

The extent of the transition assessment will depend on the nature and extent of the changes affecting your organisation.

Your normal certification audit requirements continue to apply.

What Evidence Should We Have Available?

There is no single prescribed list of documents that every organisation must provide.

The evidence required will depend on your organisation and the way your QMS is implemented.

Depending on the changes identified, evidence may include:

• Updated policies or procedures

• Risk and opportunity information

• Records relating to planned changes

• Evidence of communication

• Training or awareness records

• Management review records

• Evidence relating to interested parties

• Records demonstrating the operation and effectiveness of revised arrangements

Your auditor will determine what evidence is appropriate based on the requirements being assessed.

What If We Have Made No Changes?

Not every organisation will need to make extensive changes.

If your existing QMS already addresses a revised requirement, there may be little or no change necessary.

However, the organisation should be able to demonstrate how it has reviewed the revised requirements and determined their applicability to its QMS.

The important point is that the transition should be based on an informed assessment of the revised requirements rather than assuming that changes are either automatically required or unnecessary.

What Happens If the Auditor Identifies an Issue?

If the auditor identifies an area where the requirements of ISO 9001:2026 have not been adequately addressed, this will be dealt with through the normal audit and certification process.

Where findings are raised, the organisation will be provided with the applicable information and will have the opportunity to address them in accordance with the certification body's procedures.

The transition certification decision will take account of the results of the transition assessment and any other applicable information.

Can the Audit Be Remote?

In appropriate circumstances, transition assessment activity may be conducted remotely using information and communication technology.

The suitability of remote assessment will depend on the circumstances and whether the objectives of the assessment can be achieved.

IPC will determine the appropriate audit arrangements in accordance with the applicable requirements.

A Simple Approach to Your Transition Audit

The transition assessment should not be something to be concerned about if your organisation has prepared properly.

A useful approach is:

Review → Identify → Implement → Evidence → Assess

Review the requirements of ISO 9001:2026.

Identify where your QMS may need to change.

Implement the necessary changes.

Evidence that the changes have been implemented and are operating as intended.

Assess the effectiveness of the changes through your transition audit.

Working With IPC

IPC will communicate the transition arrangements to certified clients and provide information about the timing and process for completing the transition assessment.

Your auditor will explain the audit arrangements and assess your QMS against the applicable requirements of ISO 9001:2026.

With sensible preparation and a planned approach, the transition assessment can be incorporated into your existing certification cycle with minimal disruption to your organisation.

The transition is an update to your existing certification — not a requirement to start again.