New amendments to ISO international standards
On 23rd February 2024, the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) made significant amendments to several widely used standards concerning climate change.
Read on to find out what these changes are and what they mean for your organisation.
Which standards are affected?
These amendments impact a variety of ISO standards, including:
- ISO 9001
- ISO 14001
- ISO 27001
- ISO 45001
- ISO 22301
- ISO 20000-1
- ISO 50001
What’s new in the amendments?
The amendments introduce two key additions related to climate change:
- Organisations are now required to assess whether climate change is a relevant issue impacting their management system, as outlined in section 4.1 of these standards.
- A new note in section 4.2 highlights that relevant interested parties may have requirements related to climate change.
Addressing your frequently asked questions:
Please check the following common questions and answers regarding these amendments.
Why were these requirements added?
ISO incorporated these amendments to align with the London Declaration on Climate Change, emphasising the importance of considering climate change’s impact on organisational management systems.
What does this mean for a certified organisation?
Certified organisations must review whether climate change affects their management systems, potentially leading to significant adjustments.
What are the expectations?
Organisations are expected to thoroughly analyse internal and external issues, as well as the needs and expectations of relevant interested parties, to address any concerns about their management systems.
Do these amendments change the intent of the requirements?
No, these amendments simply highlight the potential relevance of climate change within management systems.
Transition timing and audits
There’s no specified transition timeline; the requirements are effective immediately. While auditors may ask about these new requirements, they won’t heavily focus on them during audits.
Further resources and support
You can obtain a copy of the amendments from your local standards organisation or via this link. Additionally, for those concerned about climate change’s impact on their organisation, the ISO.org website offers a downloadable Climate Action Toolkit, providing valuable information to help you consider how climate change might be a factor for your organisation.
Contact us for assistance
If you have more questions or need assistance navigating these changes, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@certificationeurope.com or call us on +353 1 270 7973.
