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ISO 14001:2026 Environmental Management System

ISO 14001:2026 is an international standard, with a systematic approach to environmental management.

Adopting an environmental management system will improve your ability to manage environmental responsibilities in a systematic manner, providing value for the environment, your organisation and stakeholders.

ISO 14001:2026 – EMS Standard has arrived!

The updated ISO 14001:2026 Environmental Management System (EMS) Standard has arrived – and it’s a positive step forward for organisations ready to strengthen their environmental performance.

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Key Benefits

Meet Compliance Requirements

Build confidence and trust with stakeholders by providing evidence that your organisation complies with its legal obligations.

Support Longer Term Strategic Focus

Future-proof your business and drive sustainable development by adopting environmentally sound processes that strengthen your market position.

Drive Corporate Social Responsibility

Improve your company’s reputation and build public confidence in your brand by taking a responsible approach to environmental management.

What Is It?

Setting the international best-practice for environmental management, the ISO 14001 standard achieves this through a systematic approach.

ISO 14001 defines an environmental management system drawing on the plan-do-check-act (PDCA) model and risk-based thinking to create a framework for balancing the three pillars of sustainability: development; transparency; and accountability.
Scope
ISO 14001 describes requirements for an environmental management system that can achieve an enhancement of environmental performance; fulfill compliance obligations and achieve environmental objectives.
Context of the Organisation
The organisation must understand the external and internal factors that may affect its ability to achieve the desired results.
Leadership
The organisation’s leaders must commit to the environmental management system, taking accountability for the effectiveness and success by providing sufficient resources, ensuring the environmental policy and objectives are in place, and clearly communicating roles, responsibilities and authorities clear.
Planning
Planning must address actions to address risks and opportunities; environmental objectives and how to achieve them; and change management.
Support
The organisation must ensure sufficient resources are allocated to the environmental management system; including the establishment, implementation, maintenance and continual improvement; and carefully monitor their use and effectiveness.
Operation
The organisation should plan, implement and control processes, using a lifecycle process, to meet requirements for providing its products and services.
Performance Evaluation
The organisation must be able to demonstrate and verify process capability as specified by the customer’s approval process requirements.
Improvement

ISO 14001 requires a commitment to continual improvement, including managing nonconformities, solving problems, error-proofing, and taking corrective action when required.

Infographic – ISO 14001:2026 Key Changes

There are important changes between ISO 14001:2026 and ISO 14001:2015 that organisations must address to maintain certification and ensure continual compliance. Download our infographic further details.
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Factsheet – ISO 14001:2026 in Building and Construction

Download our factsheet about the specific changes in the latest version, which impacts multiple industries, including the building and construction industry.
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Aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

ISO 14001:2026 contributes to the following Sustainable Development Goals

Next Steps

We can help your organisation to implement or optimise to ISO 14001:2026.

Start
Implement
  • Contact Intertek SAI Global to discuss requirements, timeframes and costs
  • Perform an optional pre-assessment
  • Perform a gap analysis
Certify
  • Undertake Stage 1 audit
  • Complete a detailed Stage 2 audit
  • Upon successful certification, display the ‘Five Ticks’ StandardsMark™
Maintain
  • Conduct annual Surveillance Audits
  • Recertify to ISO 14001 every three years
  • Establish a continuous improvement culture
Optimise
  • Market for brand and promotional benefits
  • Optimise commercial teams
  • Ensure shareholder and stakeholder awareness

Frequently Asked Questions

Explore some of the most frequently asked questions relating to certification to the ISO 14001:2026 Standard.
Who needs ISO 14001?

ISO 14001 provides value for any organisation across any industry that is looking to implement a systematic approach to improving environmental performance, including:

  • Manufacturing, production and process industries
  • Energy, utilities and extractives sectors
  • Agriculture, fishing, forestry and food producers
  • Construction and building firms
  • Transport, distribution and logistic services
  • Healthcare, hospitality, recreation and other service industries
  • Public sector and government agencies.
How often does ISO 14001 need to be updated or renewed?

The fourth edition of ISO 14001 (ISO 14001:2026) builds on nearly 30 years of global use, refining the standard to reflect current environmental challenges while keeping the proven framework intact.

What does the 2026 edition mean for organisations certified to ISO 14001:2015?

The new edition presents an opportunity to review and refine your quality management system, ensuring it aligns with updated requirements and stakeholder expectations. Certified organizations will have to transition to the new version within the timeframe set by their certification cycle (typically around three years). For further information, they should contact their certification body.

Looking to transfer your existing ISO 14001 certification?

Partner with the leading provider of Audit and Certification services in Australia and transfer your certification to Intertek SAI Global to display the 5 Ticks StandardsMark™.
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Are You Ready To Take The Next Step to Certification?

Request a callback from one of our certification experts to have a no-obligation discussion around getting certified to ISO 14001:2026 with Intertek SAI Global.
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Assurance Training

As a leading provider of education and training, Intertek SAI Global Assurance Learning offers a wide range of training courses to help you learn, plan, implement, assess and improve your management system.

ISO 14001:2026 Foundation

This course is designed to provide a foundational understanding of Environmental Management Systems (EMS) and the requirements of International Organization for Standardization standard ISO 14001:2026.

Lead Auditor in Environmental Management Systems ISO 14001:2026 & ISO 19011:2018

Elevate your environmental auditing expertise with in-depth knowledge and practical skills in auditing an Environmental Management System (EMS) based on ISO 14001:2026 and ISO 19011:2018. Our training offers a concentrated and comprehensive approach, enabling you to understand the theory and practice of EMS auditing thoroughly.

Understanding Climate Change Reporting Obligations

The purpose of this course is to build a high-level awareness of the business risks and opportunities associated with the issue of Climate Change.This course aims to generate discussions among participants about how compliance, financial, environmental and social risks relate to their organisation.The course clarifies the relationship between the issue of Climate Change and the organisation’s management system based of ISO 9001, ISO 45001, ISO 14001 and other ISO standards.

Foundation and Implementing ISO 50001:2018 Energy Management Systems

The aim of this course is to provide participants with an understanding of the Energy Management Systems approach and the requirements of ISO 50001:2018, and how to implement the system to their organisations.

ISO 14001 News & Resources

Airbus Australia Pacific Successfully Recertifies Their HSEMS Through Remote Auditing
News & Resources Aerospace Auditing & Certification Environment Health & Safety
Airbus Australia Pacific were due for their recertification audit to ISO 14001 and ISO 45001. They partnered with SAI Global to deliver remote audits with the use of Information and Computer Technology (ICT).
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Developing an ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 Implementation Plan
News & Resources Integrated Management Systems Quality Management Systems
Presented on Tuesday 8 June, ComplianceLab Director, Hazel Smirlis and SAI Global Technical Scheme Manager, Saeid Nikdel, discussed a practical plan for implementing ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001.
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Skyrail And Their Certified ISO 14001, Environmental And ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems
News & Resources Auditing & Certification Environment Health & Safety Quality Management Systems
Australian tourist attraction Skyrail Rainforest Cableway is a multi-award winning, environmentally sustainable operation that credits the combination of their ISO 14001, Environmental Management and ISO 9001, Quality Management Systems to part of their outstanding success.
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