ISO 9001:2015 was created as a High Level System (HLS). By virtue of being a HLS, the design of the new standard is for other standards to align themselves accordingly by integrating the elements and changes within the context of the principles required in the elements for 9001.

In September, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published ISO 9001:2015, the updated high-level system (HLS) quality management system standard that includes some fundamental changes in how organizations are expected to operate to remain in conformance.