ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 are all being revised, which leaves quality (QMS), environmental (EMS) and occupational health and safety (OH&S) managers, along with top management, with required work ahead to meet the new requirements. Because the revisions put more weight on climate change, resilience, ethics and people-related issues, they are more than a routine update. They are also a chance to make management systems more future-proof. Companies that update their management systems early can avoid gaps, extra work and certification delays. TÜV SÜD outlines the changes and supports organizations with training and certification services.
2026 is the “year of revisions”: ISO 14001:2026 (Environmental management systems) was published in April, followed by ISO 9001:2026 (Quality management systems) in September. For ISO 45001 (Occupational health and safety management systems), a first draft is expected in 2026, with final publication planned for 2027. A key driver behind all three revisions is formally building climate change into the standards, following on from ISO’s 2024 “Climate Action” amendments.
Three standards, one course: sustainability
For organizations, this means revisiting their context, policy and objectives, along with risks and opportunities, so that climate and sustainability are built into planning, operations and emergency preparedness rather than treated as add-ons. Among other changes, the ISO 9001 revision strengthens the link to climate-related issues, draws a clearer distinction between risk management and opportunity management, and adds requirements relating to quality culture and ethical behavior. ISO 14001 expands the understanding of “environmental conditions” to include aspects such as biodiversity, resource availability and pollution levels, and calls for a holistic approach to environmental management. ISO 45001 places more emphasis on workplace well-being, accessibility, contractors and other external providers, and diversity. All three will continue to follow ISO’s Harmonized Structure (HS), which keeps the standards clear and comparable.
Identify gaps early and secure certifications smoothly
After publication of each revised standard, a three-year transition period is expected to begin. During this time, organizations can usually make the switch during a surveillance or recertification audit. Starting early helps avoid audit bottlenecks and certification delays. TÜV SÜD supports organizations throughout the transition — from interpreting the new requirements to preparation via webinars and training courses, and on to certification — along with ongoing updates on its website and in its Value Newsletter.
Tobias Lurk is Global Product Performance Manager for ISO 14001 at TÜV SÜD.
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