INTRODUCTION
The ISO/IEC and International Accreditation Forum (IAF) recently announced the publication of additional Climate Change Amendments which aligns with the increased global concern around climate changes and how ISO/IEC standards may play a part in addressing these concerns. The purpose of these changes is to ensure that climate change issues are considered by the organisation in the context of the effectiveness of the management system.
The amendments apply to the following standards:
- ISO/IEC 14001:2015 Environmental Management Systems
- ISO/IEC 45001:2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems
- ISO/IEC 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems
- ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Information Security Management Systems
- ISO/IEC 22000:2018 Food Safety Management Systems
- ISO/IEC 39001:2012 Road Traffic Safety (RTS) Management Systems.
AMENDMENTS
The amendments include:
4.1 Understanding the organisation and its context
Added: The organisation shall determine whether climate change is a relevant issue.
4.2 Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties
Added: NOTE: Relevant interested parties can have requirements related to climate change.
The impact of these amendments will vary depending on organisation sector, product/service offered. No transition process audit is required however, it is the responsibility of an organisation to consider how the amendment may affect the organisation. Compliance against the amendment will be assessed at the following audit.
CONCLUSION
The recent Climate Change Amendments introduced by the ISO/IEC and International Accreditation Forum represent a significant step towards addressing the pressing global concern of climate change. By integrating considerations of climate change into key management system standards such as ISO/IEC 14001, ISO/IEC 45001, ISO/IEC 9001, ISO/IEC27001, ISO/IEC 22000, and ISO/IEC 39001, organisations are now better equipped to assess and manage their impact on the environment, occupational health and safety, quality, food safety, and road traffic safety
Although no specific transition process audit is mandated, compliance with these amendments will be assessed during subsequent audits. Therefore, it is incumbent upon organisations to diligently consider and implement measures to align with these changes. By embracing these amendments, organisations can not only enhance their environmental performance but also contribute to global efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change for a sustainable future.
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