The recent issue of the revised International Standard has introduced new thinking into the text of the document. Companies that are embarking on accreditation for the first time should embrace these requirements as they design their Quality Management Systems. Companies that have already achieved the 2008 version have until September 2018 to convert their systems to the 2015 version of ISO 9001.

New companies 'coming on board' after this date should use this document to assist in their application of systems and documents.

This handbook will guide you through the various paragraphs of the standard and offer my interpretation of models and templates to work with and to embed into your new Quality Management System. If you have an integrated system with the Environmental Standard (ISO 14001) there is some read-across to interpretation, but this handbook does not address all the Environmental considerations.