A strong quality culture depends on more than procedures and documentation. It develops through leadership, ethical behaviour, employee involvement, and a consistent commitment to improvement.
This was the focus of CBQA Global’s webinar, “Beyond Compliance: Building a Quality Culture with ISO 9001:2026,” held online via Zoom on October 19, 2026. The webinar explored how organizations can understand, evaluate, and improve their quality culture by referring to the ISO 10010:2022 guidance.
Why Is Quality Culture Important in ISO 9001:2026?
ISO 9001:2026 is the latest edition of the Quality Management System standard, published on September 16, 2026. This edition places greater emphasis on leadership and quality culture while maintaining the core foundations of quality management that organizations are already familiar with. Further information is available in the official ISO announcement.
In the webinar materials, quality culture is linked to Clause 5.1.1, particularly the promotion of quality culture and ethical behaviour by top management. Employee awareness and an environment that supports process execution are also important topics.
This means quality should be part of how organizations make decisions and carry out daily activities, rather than simply a matter of meeting audit requirements.
How Does ISO 10010:2022 Help Build a Quality Culture?
ISO 10010:2022 provides guidance for evaluating, developing, and improving an organization’s quality culture. It emphasizes employee involvement and leadership as important elements in supporting long-term success.
The webinar covered four key steps for applying this approach.
1. Understanding the Organizational Context
Organizations need to understand external factors, such as regulations, competition, customer needs, and technological developments. Internal factors, including leadership, resources, products and services, and the management of risks and opportunities, also influence quality culture.
2. Defining the Desired Quality Culture
The desired quality culture should align with the organization’s vision, mission, values, and strategic direction. Top management must communicate this commitment, provide resources, establish behavioural expectations, and lead by example.
Employee involvement at different organizational levels is also necessary to ensure that quality culture becomes a shared responsibility.
3. Measuring and Evaluating the Current Culture
Organizations need to assess whether workplace behaviours and practices align with the desired quality culture. Evaluation methods may include employee surveys, interviews, workshops, observations, customer complaints, nonconformity reports, and audit results.
When gaps are identified, root cause analysis methods such as the 5 Whys can help uncover their underlying causes. For example, low defect reporting may be linked to production target pressures or concerns about how supervisors will respond.
4. Implementing Continuous Improvement
Improvement actions should be based on evaluation results. Organizations can use training, internal communication, employee involvement, the appointment of a quality culture champion, and appropriate recognition initiatives.
Regular reviews are also necessary to ensure that these actions remain effective and relevant as organizational conditions change.
What Roles Do Management and Employees Play in Quality Culture?
Top management sets the direction and demonstrates commitment to quality culture. Meanwhile, employees apply the expected values and behaviours in their daily work.
Cross-departmental collaboration, customer feedback, and performance indicators aligned with quality objectives can further strengthen implementation.
Therefore, quality culture is not solely the responsibility of the quality department. It is part of how the entire organization operates.
Related article: ISO 9001:2026 Officially Published: Key Changes and Transition Preparation
What Is the Main Takeaway from the Webinar?
The CBQA Global webinar emphasized that quality culture must be built through practical action, evaluation, and continuous improvement. Organizations need to understand their context, define the culture they want to achieve, assess their current conditions, and address the gaps identified.
The ISO 10010:2022 approach can serve as a reference for strengthening quality culture and supporting the development of an effective Quality Management System in line with ISO 9001:2026.
Prepare for the ISO 9001:2026 Transition with CBQA Global
CBQA Global provides training programs to help organizations understand the latest standard developments and prepare for the ISO 9001:2026 transition.
Transition Training, ISO 9001:2026 (Night Class) covers standard changes and transition approaches. Meanwhile, Awareness Training, ISO 9001:2026 provides an overview of the latest standard and helps organizations assess their transition readiness.
For training schedules and registration, contact CBQA Global.
Email: info@cbqaglobal.com
WhatsApp: 0811 8468 777
Phone: +62 21 2781 4200
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