The upcoming ISO 9001:2026 revision represents the most substantial evolution of the standard since 2015.
Among the most meaningful changes are those found in Clauses 5.1 (Leadership and Commitment), 5.3 (Roles, Responsibilities and Authorities), and 7.3 (Awareness) — which together redefine how leadership and quality culture are expected to function inside an organization.
For the first time, ISO 9001 explicitly links leadership with ethical behaviour and the promotion of quality culture.
The revised text states that top management is responsible for “promoting quality culture and ethical behaviour” and for “taking accountability for the effectiveness of the quality management system.”
These changes signal a clear message: ISO 9001 is no longer satisfied with leaders delegating quality — it now expects them to embody and influence it.
In this post, we’ll deep-dive into how ISO 9001:2026 strengthens leadership and quality culture, and how the new clauses on accountability, ethical behaviour, and awareness help organizations build a more engaged, responsible, and resilient QMS.
If you haven’t yet read the overview of all ISO 9001:2026 changes, have a look at my main article before diving deeper into this clause:
👉 Why ISO 9001:2026 Isn’t Just an Update — It’s a Wake-Up Call for Quality Leaders
🌱 Leadership That Shapes Culture
The upcoming ISO 9001:2026 revision represents a major evolution — not just in how organizations manage quality, but in how leaders inspire it.
Beyond processes and documentation, this version brings people, ethics, and shared accountability to the forefront.
Clauses 5.1 (Leadership and Commitment), 5.3 (Roles, Responsibilities and Authorities), and 7.3 (Awareness) have all been revised to embed leadership behaviour, ethical decision-making, and quality culture into the structure of the Quality Management System (QMS).
For the first time, ISO 9001 explicitly requires that leaders:
“Promote quality culture and ethical behaviour,”
and
“Take accountability for the effectiveness of the quality management system.”
This marks a profound shift — leadership is no longer something that happens around the QMS; it is now something that must happen within it.
🧭 Leadership and Accountability – From Oversight to Ownership
Clause 5.1 – Leadership and Commitment clarifies what it means to lead a quality management system in today’s environment.
Top management is now expected to direct, support, and empower individuals to contribute to QMS effectiveness, and to maintain visibility and ownership in day-to-day operations.
The new text lists top management responsibilities, including:
- “Directing and supporting persons to contribute to the effectiveness of the quality management system,”
- “Promoting continual improvement,”
- “Promoting the use of the process approach and risk-based thinking,”
- “Supporting other relevant roles to demonstrate their leadership,” and
- “Taking accountability for the effectiveness of the quality management system.”
What’s new here is the explicit inclusion of accountability and ethical behaviour. As the standard warns:
“If decisions, actions and interactions are not guided by ethical behaviour, all aspects of quality can be undermined.”
Leadership is therefore measured not only by results, but by how decisions are made, how people are treated, and how problems are addressed.
In addition, the Clause 5.1 introduce a broader interpretation of “business” to mean any activity “that is core to the purposes of the organization’s existence.”
This clarification helps public bodies, NGOs, and service organizations see leadership as relevant to their context — not only to commercial enterprises.
The message is clear: accountability belongs to leadership, but ownership must be shared.
🌱 Building a Quality Culture Rooted in Ethics
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🌱 2. Building a Quality Culture Rooted in Ethics
One of the most significant new phrases in ISO 9001:2026 is: “Promoting quality culture and ethical behaviour.”
It’s the first time this expectation appears in ISO 9001 — acknowledging that quality cannot exist without integrity.
The accompanying note clarifies: “An organization’s quality culture and ethical behaviour are reflected in its shared values, attitudes, and established practices.”
This moves culture from theory to practice — organizations must now show how ethics are demonstrated, not just declared.
🧭 How to Address This New Requirement
The key question is How can organizations practically integrate ethical behaviour into their QMS?
A strong reference point comes from industries that already embraced these principles — especially the Aerospace sector, through AS9100 and Nadcap standards. Both introduced ethical behaviour and fraud prevention years ago, providing a practical model now echoed in ISO 9001:2026.
Many companies already have relevant tools in place — they now need to make them visible within the QMS:
- 🧾 Code of Conduct: Communicated, signed, and periodically refreshed to ensure awareness.
- ⚖️ Employee Contracts: Include clauses on ethical behaviour, confidentiality, and fraud prevention.
- 🚨 Policies on Fraud and Bribery: With defined reporting channels such as whistleblower hotlines.
- 📚 Training & Refresh: Include ethics and fraud prevention in regular training and onboarding.
Aerospace standards like Nadcap’s Fraud Prevention and AS9100’s Counterfeit Parts Prevention led organizations to develop structured measures, such as:
- 🧠 Fraud Prevention Procedures and Training Programs (often using Nadcap’s generic templates).
- 👥 Ethics Modules in Onboarding, ensuring awareness from the start.
These examples show that the goal isn’t to rebuild systems, but to connect what already exists — aligning HR, compliance, and quality under a single ethical framework.
🌿 ISO 9001:2026 doesn’t create new bureaucracy — it formalizes ethics as part of quality, making integrity a measurable element of organizational culture.
🤝 Roles, Responsibilities & Awareness – Quality Is Everyone’s Job
Clause 5.3 – Roles, Responsibilities and Authorities continues the evolution toward shared accountability.
It clarifies that: “There is no requirement in this document to have one person responsible for the quality management system.”
This removes the expectation that a single “Quality Manager” must hold exclusive authority for the QMS.
Instead, ISO 9001:2026 calls for a distributed leadership model, where accountability is built into every level of the organization.
Top management must ensure that:
- Roles are assigned, communicated, and understood,
- Processes continue to deliver intended outputs,
- Customer focus is promoted throughout the organization, and
- The integrity of the QMS is maintained even during change.
This reinforces that the QMS is a system of people, not a collection of procedures.
🔹 Awareness strengthens culture
Clause 7.3 – Awareness now explicitly links awareness to responsibility and behaviour.
It states that awareness is achieved when individuals:
“Understand their responsibilities and authorities and how their actions contribute to the achievement of the organization’s quality objectives.”
This closes the gap between training and ownership — awareness is no longer about knowing what the QMS says, but understanding how one’s work affects quality outcomes.
Organizations are therefore expected to:
- Communicate why quality matters in practical terms,
- Connect daily tasks to the organization’s strategic objectives,
- Reinforce the link between ethics, culture, and customer satisfaction.
🌍 Leadership in Action – From Policy to Behaviour
ISO 9001:2026 also updates Clause 5.2 – Quality Policy, clarifying that it must be:
“Implemented and maintained” and “appropriate to the purpose of the organization.”
The policy is now expected to reflect leadership intent and organizational culture — serving as a bridge between vision and daily practice.
It must demonstrate commitment to meeting applicable requirements, continual improvement, and supporting the organization’s strategic direction.
In combination, Clauses 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, and 7.3 form a single, cohesive message: leadership in ISO 9001:2026 is no longer symbolic. It must be visible, ethical, and consistent — ensuring that culture, communication, and accountability reinforce one another.
“Top management shall ensure that responsibilities and authorities for relevant roles are assigned, communicated, and understood within the organization.”
The 2026 revision therefore bridges the gap between policy and behaviour, establishing leadership as the living heart of the quality system.
🧭 Key Takeaway
ISO 9001:2026 transforms leadership into an active force — guiding ethics, culture, and engagement across the organization. It expects leaders not just to define quality, but to embody it through example, consistency, and transparency.
It will help you understand how leadership and culture connect with other key updates — including risk management, sustainability, data governance, and business continuity — that define the new standard’s holistic approach to quality.
💡 The way you define quality determines the way you deliver it.
If you want a complete overview of all ISO 9001:2026 changes — from leadership and risk to sustainability and data governance — check out my main article:
👉 Why ISO 9001:2026 Isn’t Just an Update — It’s a Wake-Up Call for Quality Leaders
And if you’re ready to explore related deep dives: