ISO 9001:2026 Clause 9: Performance Evaluation
Published October 23, 2026
Clause 9 of ISO 9001:2026 requires you to evaluate whether the QMS is performing effectively. It brings together monitoring and measurement, customer satisfaction, analysis, internal audits and management review. The purpose is to turn reliable evidence into decisions.
9.1 Choose information that supports decisions
Determine what needs monitoring and measurement, the methods that produce valid results, when to collect information, and when to analyze and evaluate it. Evaluate QMS performance and effectiveness, and keep evidence of the results.
For example, an order-processing team might track incomplete orders, correction time and delivery performance. A measure is useful when people understand what it means and can act on it; ISO 9001 does not prescribe a universal dashboard.
Monitor customer satisfaction using methods appropriate to your organization. Surveys can help, but feedback, meetings, complaints and other information may also reveal the customer’s experience. An absence of complaints is not sufficient by itself to demonstrate satisfaction.
Evaluate risks and opportunities separately
Analyze relevant information to evaluate conformity, customer satisfaction, QMS performance, the effectiveness of planning, external-provider performance and improvement needs. ISO 9001:2026 separately identifies the effectiveness of actions for risks and actions for opportunities.
Check both sides. Did the supplier contingency arrangement reduce delivery disruption? Did the revised ordering process produce the intended customer benefit? Recording that an action was completed is not the same as evaluating whether it worked.
9.2 Plan objective internal audits
Conduct internal audits at planned intervals to determine whether the QMS meets your own requirements and ISO 9001 requirements, and whether it is effectively implemented and maintained.
Plan the audit program with appropriate frequency, methods, responsibilities and reporting. Consider process importance, earlier audit results and changes affecting the organization. Define the objectives, criteria and scope for each audit; explicit audit objectives are part of the 2026 requirements.
Select auditors and conduct audits to ensure objectivity and impartiality. Report results to the relevant managers and take appropriate correction and corrective action without undue delay. Keep evidence of program implementation and audit results.
The standard does not prescribe one fixed annual audit schedule for every organization. Your program should reflect the needs of your processes and system.
9.3 Make management review a management activity
Top management must review the QMS at planned intervals for continuing suitability, adequacy, effectiveness and alignment with strategic direction. The review needs to consider previous actions, context changes, changes in relevant interested-party needs and expectations, performance trends, improvement opportunities and resource adequacy.
Performance information includes nonconformities and corrective actions, monitoring and measurement, audits, customer satisfaction and relevant feedback, objectives, process performance, conformity and external providers. Review the effectiveness of actions for risks and opportunities separately.
The results must include decisions about improvement opportunities, needed QMS changes and resource needs. Keep evidence of those results. Assigning owners and follow-up dates is a practical way to make the decisions useful; the standard does not mandate one meeting template.
For the bigger picture, return to the ISO 9001:2026 requirements overview. For structured learning, explore our ISO 9001 online training. Check the standard edition shown on each course page before enrolling.
Based on ISO 9001:2026, Quality management systems — Requirements. Clause 9 explained in practical terms. Use the standard itself for the complete requirements. Examples illustrate possible approaches, not additional ISO requirements.
