In April 2026, the ISO/FDIS 14001:2026 standard relating to environmental management systems is expected to be published. Given the significant number of changes from the current 2015 version of ISO 14001, a transition period has been introduced until 2029, but organisations should not delay their preparations.

The key changes include:

1. taking into account environmental conditions – including climate risks, biodiversity and resource availability – in organisational objectives and activities;
2. defining the scope of environmental management through a life-cycle perspective, including impacts before and after the organisation’s activities that it can control or influence;
3. identifying and planning changes in a controlled manner, assessing related risks and managing them systematically to achieve the intended outcomes;
4. enhanced oversight of externally provided processes, products and services – not limited to outsourcing in a narrow sense;
5. direct involvement and accountability of senior management, even where tasks are delegated.

In practice, this means that organisations will need to reassess their existing environmental management systems in order to identify areas of non-compliance, develop action plans, implement new requirements and provide appropriate training to management on their expanded responsibilities.

Find more articles in PRO HR March 2026.