ISO Consultancy in 2026-2027: What the New Versions Change

Which management system standards change between 2026 and 2027?

Two of the three QHSE standards changed version in 2026, and the third is due for revision. ISO 14001:2026 was published in April 2026 and ISO 9001:2026 on 16 September 2026, as announced by the ISO/TC 176/SC 2 committee. ISO 45001:2018 remains in force, with a revision expected in 2027. The table sets out the deadlines in the transition documents of Global ACI, the organisation that took over the work of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) on accreditation, as of 5 November 2026.

The list of Global ACI transition documents also includes ISO/IEC 17024:2026 (certification of persons) and ISO 37001:2025 (anti-bribery). Auditing guidance is following suit: the ISO/TC 176/SC 2 committee presents ISO 19011:2026 alongside ISO 9001:2026. ISO 19011:2026 was published on 27 May 2026 (4th edition) and replaces the 2018 edition, according to the ISO committee page.

The detail of each standard’s changes is covered in our articles on the ISO 9001:2026 transition and on ISO 14001:2026. The question here is a different one: what does this timeline change for a company that is looking for, or already works with, an ISO consultancy?

Why will demand for ISO consultancy peak in 2027 and 2028?

Because a site can only transition once its certification body is ready, and that body depends on its own accreditation body. According to Global ACI’s ISO 9001:2026 transition document, accreditation bodies must be ready by 31 March 2027, certification bodies must submit their declaration by 30 June 2027, and transition decisions must be issued by 30 September 2027. For ISO 14001:2026, the equivalent document sets these steps at 31 October 2026, 31 January 2027 and 30 April 2027.

A body issues an accredited certificate to a 2026 version only after that decision. The transition audit is then held at a surveillance audit, a recertification audit or a special audit, and must be completed, certificate included, before the end of the transition. For most certified sites, the useful window therefore runs from 2027 to early 2029.

The size of the installed base matters too. Global ACI counts more than one million accredited ISO 9001 certificates and around 700,000 ISO 14001 certificates worldwide, all of which must go through a transition audit. Our reading, which is analysis rather than a statistic: certification bodies and their auditors will be under heavy demand in 2028, and a site that prepares its transition in 2027 will find it easier to choose its audit date. The detailed dates are in our articles on the ISO 9001:2026 transition deadline and on the ISO 14001:2026 transition deadline.

For a first certification, the effect is simpler still: a project launched in 2027 targets the 2026 versions directly, since initial certifications to the 2015 version end on 31 October 2027 for ISO 14001 and on 31 March 2028 for ISO 9001. The consultancy must therefore work on the 2026 texts, with consultants trained on those versions.

What does the expected ISO 45001 revision change for projects under way?

Nothing for now: build on ISO 45001:2018 and watch the revision. The ISO/TC 283 committee announced on 15 December 2023 that the revision of ISO 45001 had been approved and that the revised version would not be published before 2027. A draft has been circulating since 2026, but as of November 2026 Global ACI had published no transition document for ISO 45001: the length of the transition is not known.

Two consequences for choosing support:

• be wary of an offer that presents a revised ISO 45001 as already published, or that proposes to certify you against a draft standard;
• prefer a plan that provides for a targeted review of the system once the revised version and its transition are published, rather than postponing the project.

A system built on a risk assessment carried out on the shop floor, effective worker participation and demonstrated compliance with the Moroccan Labour Code, or with the labour law of your country, will carry over as it is. Our ISO 45001 page details these fundamentals.

Why are integrated systems and combined transitions gaining ground?

Because the 2026 versions bring the standards even closer together, and the new combined audit rules reward genuine integration. Global ACI states that ISO 9001:2026 is aligned with Annex SL, the harmonised structure common to management system standards; ISO 14001:2026 and ISO 45001:2018 rest on the same clause logic.

The Global ACI-TECH-3-008 document, version 1.0 of 10 July 2026, applicable since 28 August 2026, governs the audit of a system against several standards at once:

For a site certified to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015, the logical move is to group both transitions: one gap analysis, one documentation update, one round of internal auditor training, and a combined audit before 30 April 2029. It is often also the moment to add ISO 45001:2018. Our integrated QHSE management system page describes the method.

What should you ask an ISO consultancy from 2027 onwards?

A dated plan that takes these deadlines into account, and proof that its consultants work on the versions in force. The general selection criteria are in our guide on how to choose an ISO consultant in Morocco; the questions specific to 2026-2027 are these.

• The schedule places each transition on an identified audit, with a margin before 30 April 2029 and 30 September 2029.
  
• The gap analysis covers the changed requirements of ISO 9001:2026 and ISO 14001:2026 in one go.
  
• The consultants are trained on the 2026 versions and hold the official texts.
  
• The plan includes updated training for internal auditors.
  
• ISO 45001 is handled on the 2018 version, with a review planned after the revision.
  
• The consultancy helps you question your certification body on its own transition, in writing.
  
• Grouping the audits is assessed against the rules of Global ACI-TECH-3-008.