Nations belonging to the International Organization for Standardization face a September deadline to approve the final draft of a new quality management standard.
The standard — labeled ISO 9001 — establishes requirements for companies' products and services and provides a framework to make companies more efficient.
The revision process generally takes place every three to five years; Nigel Croft, who chairs the ISO subcommittee on the standard, called the proposed changes "relatively minor."
"Other than a general ‘tidying-up’ of the overall text, and greater consistency in the use of specific terms, there have been a number of small technical changes," Croft said. "For example, top management must now promote the use of risk-based thinking in addition to a process approach."
The group's 162 member nations will develop a position on the draft and submit a vote by Sept. 9. An earlier draft was approved by about 90 percent of members.
ISO issues more than 19,500 standards covering most aspects of technology and business.
