ISO standards for management systems are being updated to address climate change

ISO has announced an update to a number of management system standards to address climate change. These changes affect all organizations that are certified to ISO standards such as ISO 9001 (Quality Management System), ISO 14001 (Environmental Management System) and ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety Management System).

In the “Certification” section of our website, you can find the INCERT compliance policy. All certified clients are invited to study it and take appropriate action.

What has changed?

• New requirement added in clause 4.1. “Understanding the Organization and Its Context”. Organizations are required to determine whether climate change is a significant issue that may affect their ability to achieve their objectives.
• Note added in clause 4.2. “Understanding the needs and expectations of the interested parties”. The note states that interested parties (e.g., customers, investors, regulatory authorities) can have requirements related to climate change.

What must organizations do?

• Study the changes in ISO standards and implement them in their management systems.
• Determine whether climate change is a significant issue for their context and take action if needed.

Important!

• There is no requirement to certificates to be reissued.
• Certification bodies are required to audit compliance with the new requirements at the first upcoming audit for each client.