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There are some big changes coming to CSQ in 2026. With the successful completion of two rounds of public comments, our major update to CSQ - CSQ 2.0! - is being released in October 2025. This gives licensed operators three months to prepare for certification audits starting January 2026. 

What did we change? 

To improve CSQ we made two fundamental changes: 

1. We consolidated our nine accredited and unaccredited certification programs into one master accredited certification program.
2. We took the audit requirements and turned them into a three-tiered modularized level-based system. 

The CSQ Certification Program consists of five total standards, and was modified to include a level-based system for more flexibility and to better fit licensed operator’s business and regulatory needs. The CSQ Audit Requirements were updated to reflect current industry trends, latest research, standards development, and regulatory changes for cultivation, extraction, manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, and retail operators. 

These revisions are meant to make the certification process more approachable and streamlined for licensed operators across the supply chain.  The flexible level-based helps licensed operators conform with progressively more stringent audit requirements over time and build a best-in-class cannabis safety and quality management system. 

We also expanded our certification program by adding two new standards: 

1. CSQ Warehousing & Distribution
   
2. CSQ Retail 

The CSQ Certification Program now includes five total CSQ Standard covering the cannabinoid product supply chain from seed-to-sale. 

1. CSQ Cultivation 
2. CSQ Extraction 
3. CSQ Manufacturing 
4. CSQ Warehousing & Distribution 
5. CSQ Retail + Deli-Style Retail 

To top it all off, we updated our Dietary Supplement Addendum so it could be added to any of our standards to expand their scope to include dietary supplements. 

You can learn more about CSQ 2.0, the certification process, new audit requirements, modules, levels, and more during one of our upcoming free webinars. Register today! 

Already certified to CSQ!? See our quick guide to learn how these changes will impact your current CSQ Certification.