Updates to ISO international standards
On February 23, 2024, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) unveiled amendments to several commonly used ISO standards, including:
- ISO 9001
- ISO 14001
- ISO 27001
- ISO 45001
These amendments introduce two significant changes related to climate change:
- Assessment requirement: Section 4.1 of these four standards now mandates organizations to determine if climate change is impacting their management system.
- Stakeholder consideration: A new note in section 4.2 emphasizes that relevant interested parties may have requirements related to climate change.
Important information surrounding these amendments:
Why have these requirements been added?
ISO amended these standards to align with the London Declaration on Climate Change, underscoring the importance of considering climate change’s impact on organizational management systems.
Implications for Certified Organizations
Every organization must review whether climate change affects their management systems. While some may see no impact, others may need to adapt significantly.
Expectations from Organizations
Organizations are expected to comprehensively analyze internal and external issues, along with the needs and expectations of relevant interested parties, to address concerns in their management systems.
Intent of the Requirements
These amendments do not change the original intent of the requirements. They simply highlight the potential impact of climate change within management systems.
Transition Timeline
No specific transition timeline was announced; the requirements are immediately effective and auditable.
Auditor Focus
Auditors may inquire about these new requirements but will not heavily focus on them. They are part of ISO’s commitment to support the London Declaration.
Handling Non-Relevant Issues
Organizations can decide that climate change isn’t a relevant issue as long as it’s supported by factual evidence.
Impact on Non-Certified Organizations
The impact may vary; organizations need to determine if climate change needs incorporation into their risk assessment and action plans.
Broader Standards Affected
Any standard using Annex SL as a base set of requirements will be impacted, including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 22000, ISO 27001 and ISO 50001.
Accessing Amendments
You can obtain a copy of the amendments from your local standards organization or directly via this link here.
Further Resources
Learn more about the London Declaration and its relation to ISO standards via this link. For those seeking information on climate change’s impact, the ISO.org website offers a downloadable Climate Action Toolkit.
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