Why climate change is suddenly a hot topic in management system standards

The addition of a clause on climate change to all management system standards was finally approved and published as Amendment 1:2024 on Friday, February 23, 2024. The addition is therefore available free of charge for all management system standards. These are standards that help organizations manage or streamline their processes—think of the widely used standards ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO/IEC 27001, and ISO 45001.

In a joint communiqué with ISO, the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) has stated that the amendment is seen as a clarification of existing requirements and that there will be no transition period. Organizations must therefore have incorporated the amendment into their management systems by the next audit.

What is the impact?

With the addition of the new clause, sustainability is now an essential part of every management system standard. It means every organisation needs to take a moment to look in the mirror. However, it can lead to confusion, because what exactly is expected? The new clause focuses on the impact of climate change:

Clause 4.1.Organizations should take a position on whether climate change is a relevant challenge for them.

Clause 4.2. Organizations should recognize that certain stakeholders may have climate-related demands or expectations.

This is primarily a reminder that climate change is part of every organisation's broader context, without identifying specific environmental actions to be taken. According to the standard, an organisation must demonstrate that climate change was taken into account when planning the management system, as provided for in clause 6 of the various standards. Also, for the second element, the point is that, even if climate change may not have an impact on the organisation's own specific context, the issue may be important for suppliers, customers or other stakeholders.

And in practice?

The clause is now available, so that all new versions of MSS (Management Systems Standards) cover this aspect. It is up to organizations to effectively implement it. Now is the ideal time to consider the impact of climate change on your organisation and vice versa.

Preparing for the next audit

The auditor is required to verify that the organisation has incorporated organisation new clauses 4.1 and 4.2.

The new requirements do not mean that you automatically have to set up an environmental or climate management system (ISO 14001). The point is that you have consciously considered the strategic impact of climate on your organisation your ability to achieve the intended results of your management system.
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Focus points for certification

To comply with Amendment 1:2024, you must be able to demonstrate the following in your management system:

Explicit mention in the Context Analysis (Clause 4.1): You must explicitly demonstrate in your documented context analysis (e.g., in the PESTLE or SWOT analysis) that you have considered the risks and opportunities of climate change.

Risks: Consider the impact of extreme weather conditions (on infrastructure, supply chains, employee health) or scarcity of natural resources.

Argumentation: If you conclude that climate change is organisation relevant to your specific organisation , you must document this clearly and defensibly for the auditor. An unsubstantiated "not applicable" will not suffice.

Interested parties and their requirements (Clause 4.2): The auditor will check whether you have identified the requirements of your relevant interested parties with regard to climate. This includes:

Customers: Do customers demand CO2-neutral products or transparency about the carbon footprint in the supply chain?

Financiers: Do banks or investors link credit conditions to ESG or climate targets?

Regulations: How does the new (inter)national climate legislation affect your compliance obligations?

The core message

Climate change is now a strategic management responsibility within all ISO standards. It is the organisation responsibility organisation determine, document, and demonstrate that this crucial issue has not been overlooked.