ISO 9001:2026 DIS – Clause 10 Improvement
Drive Excellence: Key Updates on Continual and Process Improvement
Clause 10 Overview
Clause 10 focuses on Improvement, highlighting how organizations can enhance products, services, and processes. The 2026 draft emphasizes continual improvement, process innovation, and aligning corrective actions with evidence-based management.
In this post, we will break down the updates in 10.1 Continual Improvement, 10.2 Nonconformity and Corrective Action, and explain structural changes affecting 10.3.
10.1 Continual Improvement
The title now explicitly states “Continual improvement” instead of “General.” The content previously in 10.3 is embedded here. The draft emphasizes improving processes, not just products or services.
Notes clarify that improvement can occur through incremental or breakthrough changes, innovation, or organizational initiatives, making the scope broader and more dynamic.
10.2 Nonconformity and Corrective Action
Minor wording updates enhance clarity: “could potentially occur” becomes “can potentially occur.”
Customer complaints are explicitly recognized as a source of nonconformities. As with other clauses, documented information is expected to be “available as evidence,” reflecting modern digital and audit practices.
10.3 Continual Improvement
Structural changes have moved the core content of 10.3 up into 10.1, so 10.3 is no longer the primary focal point. The draft reinforces a consistent theme: continual improvement, supported by evidence, is integrated throughout the standard.
Key Takeaways
We believe these changes will help quality management systems focus on what is important, especially customers and improvements.
In Summary:
- Continual Improvement: Reorganized and tied clearly to evidence and management review.
- Process Improvement: Explicitly included alongside product and service improvements.
- Language Modernization: Focuses on incremental and breakthrough improvements.
- Corrective Actions: Requirements remain familiar, with clarity updates and emphasis on documented evidence.
Stay informed and begin planning early—well before the final standard is officially published. Sign up to receive a copy of our Comparison Analysis which contains a side by side comparison of the ISO 9001:2026 DIS versus the ISO 9001:2015 standard.
