Quality Culture: What Will Actually Change?
I was pleased to see something of substance in the latest revision of ISO 9001. Without the new requirements on quality culture and ethical behaviour, this 2026 revision would have been somewhat harder to justify. So, now that they're in, what's going to change?
The answer will vary. For organisations that already perform well, probably nothing at all. For organisations where quality struggles to find its voice, it could be transformational. The incentive is clear: failing to meet this new requirement could put certification at risk, and that's a powerful motivator.
I want to explore what that change might look like, but first let's be clear about what quality culture is and, perhaps more importantly, what it isn't.
What quality culture is
In my view, a quality culture puts meeting, and ideally exceeding, internal and external customer expectations first and with true commitment.
Organisations that do this well, plan thoroughly, understand their many stakeholders needs and run efficient operational processes within the organisation and its QMS. They measure their performance and, where needed, implement change effectively. Critically, they do all of this in a managed way, with strategy and operations working in harmony.
But remember that ISO 9001 is a customer focused standard so in that sense the customer always comes first.
Stakeholder needs, efficient processes, performance measurement, change management and the many other topics in ISO 9001 are all critical parts of a QMS, and together they make a fine model of business excellence. In a quality culture though, they serve the customer's needs before the organisations. The two can coexist, and people with different priorities will naturally see them through different lenses.
Through a corporate lens, those same topics drive business success and, ultimately, profit. But maximising shareholder returns is not the primary objective of a QMS. The two are linked, of course: deliver your product or service reliably and efficiently and you'll very likely make more money. Still, the quality manager's role is to advocate for the customer first, and to make sure the shareholder's interests are served through the customer, not at their expense.
What quality culture is not
Quality culture and corporate culture aren't opposites. In a healthy organisation, quality culture is part of the corporate culture. The drive for efficiency, the focus on performance and the ambition to grow can all sit comfortably alongside a genuine commitment to the customer, and often strengthen it.
The problem comes when the order of priorities flips. Quality culture stops being quality culture the moment corporate priorities, whether that's cost, schedule or share price, are allowed to override what the customer needs. Corporate goals can shape how we serve the customer, but they should never decide nor hinder whether we do.
Remember when a well-known aircraft manufacturer let that order slip?
What might change
So, what's likely to change under the new requirements? Remember strategy and operations working in harmony? That's where I'd expect to see the difference. Perhaps leadership becomes more consistently engaged. Perhaps competence becomes more genuinely valued. Perhaps decision-making becomes more devolved.
Ultimately, we want an organisation where people make good choices because they understand why, not simply because they've been told to.
Is "transformational" overselling it?
I don't think so. Food safety went through a similar shift not so long ago. In the wake of the 2013 horsemeat scandal, the industry took a hard look at itself, and within a few years food safety culture requirements had been written into the major standards. Today, food safety culture is embedded in the DNA of many companies.
And if the new quality culture requirement makes no difference to your business? Perhaps that's because quality is already part of your DNA. Well done you!
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