Templates and records · ISO 9001 · Clause 6.2

ISO 9001 quality objectives plan: template and example

Measurable objectives by function or process, with what will be done to achieve them, by whom and by when. It is a living document: it is kept up to date, not filed away.

In one sentence

The quality objectives plan sets out targets that are consistent with the policy, measurable and relevant to conformity and customer satisfaction, and for each one what will be done, with what resources, who is responsible, by when and how it will be evaluated, because ISO 9001 requires documented information on the objectives to be maintained (6.2.1) and planning of how to achieve them (6.2.2).

Content reviewed on 17 October 2026

Where the standard requires it: ISO 9001 · Clause 6.2 Clauses are cited using the numbering of the 2015 edition, the same one the Academy uses; certificates issued against it remain valid during the transition to the 2026 edition.
Type of information: Mandatory document Documented information to be maintained (6.2.1)
Who fills it in: Top management, with process owners Quality monitors the indicators
When: At the start of the period With regular monitoring during the year and revision when circumstances change
How long it is kept: Current version and earlier versions Keeping previous years' plans lets you show progress and achievement at recertification

What the standard requires

What ISO 9001 demands and what it leaves to your judgement

Objectives are set at relevant functions, levels and processes. They must be consistent with the quality policy, measurable, take account of applicable requirements, be relevant to conformity and customer satisfaction, and be monitored, communicated and updated as appropriate.

For each one the standard asks you to plan what will be done, what resources are required, who will be responsible, when it will be completed and how the results will be evaluated.

Unlike a record, this document is "maintained": it must reflect the objectives in force. The extent to which they are achieved is also an input to management review.

Read it in context: Planning, in the ISO 9001 Academy

Structure

Fields the template should include

Objective and the policy or process it relates to
Indicator and calculation formula
Baseline and target
Actions planned to achieve it
Resources required
Owner
Deadline
Monitoring frequency and data source
Result and assessment at close

Example

Example: on-time delivery objective for 2026

Company, people and figures are fictitious: the example only shows what a properly completed record looks like.

Field	Content
Objective	Improve compliance with the committed delivery date
Link	Quality policy: "deliver what we promise the customer"
Indicator	Orders delivered on the confirmed date / orders delivered
Baseline and target	94% in 2025 · 97% in 2026
Actions	Weekly capacity planning and notice to the customer if the date changes
Resources	Capacity planning tool and 20 hours of training
Owner	Operations director
Deadline and monitoring	December 2026 · monthly monitoring using dispatch data
Position at June	96.1% year to date

At the audit

Mistakes auditors commonly flag

Objectives that cannot be measured: "improve quality", "increase satisfaction".
Objectives without actions: just a figure to reach.
Monitoring only at year end, when there is no room left to correct course.
Indicators calculated by hand from data that differs from what operations use.
Objectives that staff do not know about.

In Kimobox

How this record is kept in Kimobox

1Each objective is defined with an indicator, an owner and a date, and the system calculates the indicator from data already being recorded.
2The plan's actions are assigned and tracked as tasks with their deadlines.
3Objectives and their results are communicated to each user according to their role.
4The degree of achievement appears aggregated in the management review.

Frequently asked questions

What people ask us before getting started

How many quality objectives should we have?

The standard sets no number. It asks for objectives at the relevant functions, levels and processes; for an SME, three to six well-monitored objectives are usually more useful than a long list nobody reviews.

Is an indicator the same as an objective?

No. The indicator measures; the objective sets the target to be reached on that measure and by when. A process can have several indicators and only one of them tied to an objective.

What happens if an objective is not met?

It is not a nonconformity in itself. What the auditor checks is that it has been monitored, that the causes are analysed and that top management decides what to do at the review. An unmet objective with no analysis is a problem.

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Sources

Where each figure comes from

References to the official text in force. If a standard is revised, this page is updated and the review date says so.

ISO 9001:2015 — Quality management systems. Requirements ISO · 2015 ed., with Amd 1:2024
ISO 9001:2026 — Quality management systems. Requirements ISO · 2026 ed., published 16 September 2026