ISO 14001:2026 The New Revision Is Here

Keeping Your Green Standard: Transitioning to ISO 14001:2026 with JJK Consulting

The Essential Update for Environmental Management

A new era of environmental accountability is fast approaching. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is expected to publish the revised ISO 14001:2026 standard in January 2026, which will replace the current ISO 14001:2015 version. For all companies and organizations currently holding a valid ISO 14001 certification, this is a crucial development that requires proactive planning to maintain compliance and keep your certificate valid.

The changes in the 2026 update are moderate but strategically focused, aiming to sharpen the standard’s alignment with contemporary global sustainability challenges and harmonize it with the common structure used across all ISO management systems (like ISO 9001 and ISO 45001).

Key Changes to Prepare For

Companies and organizations should understand these core revisions to prepare their Environmental Management System (EMS) for the transition:

• Enhanced Focus on Climate Action & Biodiversity: The new standard will explicitly require organizations and companies alike to consider how global issues—such as climate change, biodiversity, and resource availability—affect their operations, and, critically, how their operations impact these external environmental conditions. This pushes the Environmental Management System (EMS) from purely managing local aspects to a broader, more strategic view.
• Integrated Lifecycle Perspective: The requirement to apply a lifecycle perspective is now more explicit. When identifying environmental aspects, your EMS must clearly consider impacts across the entire value chain, from raw material sourcing and design all the way through to the end-of-life stages of your products and services.

• New Clause for Change Management (6.3): A dedicated new clause is introduced to mandate a structured, planned approach for managing changes within the EMS. This ensures that any planned changes (e.g., new equipment, processes, or locations) do not negatively impact your environmental performance.
• Strengthened Operational Controls: The scope of your operational controls has been broadened to explicitly control or influence all externally provided processes, products, and services that are relevant to your EMS. This means greater accountability for supply chain sustainability and ensuring your suppliers and partners adhere to your environmental expectations.
• Improved Clarity and Structure: The standard features reworded clauses and an expanded Annex A for clearer guidance, making the requirements more consistent and easier to implement alongside other ISO management systems.