We’ve got an important (and actually pretty interesting) update to share!
ISO has released a new version of the environmental management standard—ISO 14001:2026. This replaces the 2015 edition and brings some timely updates that reflect the environmental realities organizations are facing today.
So… what’s new?
The structure of the standard will feel familiar, but ISO 14001:2026 turns up the volume on real‑world environmental issues, including:
🌍 Climate Change & Biodiversity
Organizations now need to clearly consider how things like climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental conditions affect their purpose and their ability to achieve results.
🌱 Ecosystem Health
There’s a stronger focus on the health and resilience of ecosystems—recognizing that business success is often closely tied to the natural world.
👥 Interested Parties
The standard also makes it clearer that customers, regulators, and other interested parties may have expectations related to these broader environmental issues—and some of those expectations may become part of your compliance obligations.
When do you need to act?
Here’s the key takeaway:
ISO 14001:2015 certificates will expire three years after the official release of ISO 14001:2026.
To keep your certification, you’ll need to transition to the new standard within that three‑year window.
👉 Stay tuned—important transition dates and milestones will be shared soon
How does the upgrade work?
Good news: you don’t need to reinvent the wheel.
You can make the transition:
- During a surveillance audit (using an updated checklist that covers the new requirements),
- During a recertification audit, or
- Through a separate upgrade audit, if you prefer to do it sooner.
We’ll guide you through whichever option works best for your organization.
What should you do now?
A great place to start is reviewing the new requirements and doing a gap check against your current Environmental Management System.
If you’d like help—or just want to talk through the best timing—our team is ready to support you.
Feel free to reach out to your Orion team with any questions or to start planning your ISO 14001:2026 upgrade.