ISO 9001 provides a model for a quality management system which focuses on the effectiveness of the processes in a business to achieve desired results.
The standard promotes the adoption of a process approach emphasizing the requirements, added value, process performance and effectiveness, and continual improvement through objective measurements.
Previous versions of ISO 9001 were tailored to the manufacturing industries and called for extensive system documentation. The current version is more generic and applies equally well to all organizations, regardless of type, size, and product provided.