ISO Standards Update

In February 2024, ISO made changes to numerous management system standards including but not limited to:

• ISO 9001:2015
• ISO 14001:2015
• ISO 45001:2018
• ISO/IEC 27001:2022

The change will not affect the base version of the standard and revised certificates are not required. There is no transition period. However, all certified clients will be required to make small revisions to their management system to include the new requirements.

WHAT ARE THE CHANGES / NEW REQUIREMENTS ?

ISO has made the changes to make climate change a key consideration. These changes emphasise the importance of addressing the effects of climate change within the framework of the management system. The changes have been made in clauses 4.1 and 4.2.

Clause 4.1 now includes the following text:

• The organisation shall determine whether climate change is a relevant issue.

Clause 4.2 now includes a note:

• Relevant interested parties can have requirements related to climate change.

ACTIONS

All certified clients should review the changes to the standard and consider if its management system needs to change (very likely).

• Perhaps you have documented the external and internal issues that are relevant to the management system and the organisation. If so, this documentation will need to be reviewed and updated to consider climate change.
• Perhaps you have documented interested parties and their requirements. If so, this documentation will need to be reviewed and updated to consider climate change.
• Of course, there is no requirement to document issues and interested parties so if you have addressed these requirements using other methods then they will need to be revised.
• If climate change is an applicable issue then certified client may also need to review risks and aspects etc.

FUTURE AUDITS

In the future WCS auditors will be reviewing certified clients management systems to establish how they have addressed the new requirements. If there has been no action then it is likely that assessors will raise minor conformances, with a corrective action plan to be submitted.

INFORMATION

If you require any further information, don’t hesitate to contact WCS.

The ISO Communication can be downloaded HERE.