New ISO Standards Revision to Address Climate Change

In line with the London Declaration and its commitment to combating climate change, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) announced in February 2024 a significant revision to various existing and new management system standards. These changes strengthen the climate agenda by aligning the standards with contemporary environmental requirements.

Main Modifications

The revision includes additions to paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2 of the High-Level Structure (HLS), which is applied to all management system standards:

• Paragraph 4.1: Understanding the Organization and its Context
  Organizations must assess whether climate change is a relevant issue to their operations.
• Paragraph 4.2: Understanding the Needs and Expectations of Interested Parties
  Organizations must consider that stakeholders may have requirements related to climate change.

Impact on Businesses

Entities that implement standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 22000, and ISO 27001 (among others) must integrate these new requirements into their processes. This means climate change must now be viewed as a key strategic element, ensuring alignment with the revised specifications.

Not only does the change promote environmental awareness, it also presents an opportunity for businesses to adopt more sustainable practices—enhancing market competitiveness.

Advancing Green Growth

This ISO step is part of a broader initiative to reinforce global action against climate change. By introducing these revisions, international management system standards support sustainability and help organizations adapt to modern environmental challenges. For more details on these ISO modifications and how to implement them, feel free to contact us.