An update to all key standards, including ISO 14001 Certification, ISO27001, and ISO9001, was issued by ISO in February 2024. This update incorporates climate action. Organizational responsibility towards climate-related issues is emphasized by this amendment, which entails examining the impact of climate change on operations and the requirements of interested parties.
Have anything new or altered, and if so, why?
To demonstrate its climate action pledges, ISO revised 31 of its management systems standards to include climate change issues. Certifications such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 22000, ISO 22301, ISO 27001, ISO 45001, and ISO 50001 are recognised worldwide. The ISO 13485 standard is an exception.
Surprisingly, the two sentences conveying the modifications are identical across all these standards. Organisations must evaluate how climate change impacts their operations; this requirement was added to the end of subclause 4.1. The second is an annexe to subclause 4.2 that states interested parties may have needs relating to climate change.
The goal of these revisions is to:
- Make sure that companies consider climate change as an outside force that can affect how well their management system works.
- In keeping with the principles outlined in the London Declaration, the ISO Certification Provider has pledged to fight climate change by creating global standards that consider climate to foster a more sustainable future.
- Even if it doesn't immediately result in environmental activities like lowering carbon footprint, organisations should be reminded of their responsibilities towards climate-related concerns.
Consequences for your management system
You may need to adjust other components of your present management system to accommodate changes in subclauses 4.2 (requirements of relevant interested parties) and 4.1 (internal and external issues). What you should think about is:
- New risks and opportunities
- New compliance obligations
- New requirements for internal and external communication
- Changes in operations that may lead to changes in resources and/or required competence
- New monitoring requirements
What this means for businesses that have been certified to meet certain requirements for management systems
Some may have already thought about how to adjust to climate change so that they can keep reaching their goals. As part of their daily operations, businesses may choose to (or be compelled to by interested parties) do something about climate change. The Harmonised Structure now incorporates both of these components. Organisations can be better prepared to deal with climate-related risks and opportunities, build resilience, and aid in global sustainability initiatives if ISO's management system accounts for climate change.
As a management system standard, you should consider the potential effects of climate change on your company and decide whether it is an important issue that requires attention. Many parts of a company could be affected by climate change, depending on the industry and the standards in place. These areas include supply chains, team member safety, energy and resource availability, business continuity, and satisfying customers' needs and expectations. Climate change-related industry trends, requirements, and laws should be evaluated. Climate change legislation, customer demand for environmentally friendly goods, and changes in supply chains are having an ever-increasing impact on a wide range of businesses.
Knowing your customers and other stakeholders' beliefs, concerns, and how climate change can affect their interests will help you determine whether this is an important problem for your company. Establishing goals and targets for adaptation and mitigation of climate change, as well as integrating climate-related requirements into your policies, procedures, and processes, are all components of a strong management system that contribute to the success and longevity of your company.
Can ISO 14001 help?
By improving the efficacy of other systems, such as information security management and quality management, ISO 14001 Certification —which focuses on environmental management systems—could handle the amendment about climate action. As part of its eco-friendly supplier choices and sustainable practices in quality management, it incorporates environmental considerations into product lifecycles and risk management. Information Security Management System (ISMS) compliance with ISO 14001 standards ensures eco-friendly data centre operations, climate change mitigation, and best information technology practices.
On the other hand, if you're looking to address the amendment's immediate needs, it can be a bit much to adopt ISO 14001 Certification for this particular reason because of its wide reach and substantial investment. It's all-encompassing, but a more concentrated and targeted approach might work better.
Organisational size, industry, product/service type, supply chain involvement, geographic location, and other factors can significantly impact the relevance of this climate action amendment. Its significance could fall anywhere from 0-100%. Each business must decide for themselves if this is relevant.
ISO Certificate Provider has made these revisions to demonstrate its dedication to climate action and to stress the importance of companies incorporating climate change into their management systems.
