Anticipated for ISO 9001:2026

Risk has two faces.
ISO 9001:2026 will name the other one.

Opportunity-Based Thinking extends Risk-Based Thinking to the upside of uncertainty. Where risk asks "what could go wrong?", opportunity asks "what could go remarkably right — and how do we make it happen?"

Definition

"The systematic effort to identify, evaluate and pursue positive risk — the upside potential within uncertainty — as a core function of the quality management system."

— OpportunityBasedThinking.com working definition
2015
Risk-based thinking introduced
2026
Opportunity-based thinking expected
2
Faces of risk: negative and positive
1.1M+
ISO 9001 certified organizations worldwide
Explore the framework

Four lenses on opportunity-based thinking.

Self-assessment

How opportunity-mature is your QMS?

Eight questions, two minutes. Score your organization on the OBT maturity ladder from Reactive to Opportunity-Driven.

Start assessment