The upcoming ISO 9001:2026 revision represents the biggest evolution since 2015, and one theme stands tall alongside digital transformation: 🌱 Climate Change and Sustainability.
As industries face growing environmental and regulatory pressures, ISO has formally embedded climate considerations into its management system standards. This evolution means that organizations must now consider climate change in their context analysis, risk assessment, and quality planning.
If you want a full overview of all major changes that are expected in the next ISO9001:2026 revision, check out my main post:
👉 Why ISO 9001:2026 Isn’t Just an Update — It’s a Wake-Up Call for Quality Leaders
In this article, we’ll deep-dive into the ISO 9001:2026 climate change amendment — what it means, how to apply it, and how to future-proof your QMS in a world where environmental responsibility is no longer optional.
📘 About the Climate Change Amendment (2024)
In February 2024, ISO published an amendment to the current ISO 9001:2015 standard — introducing explicit requirements to consider climate change within the management system framework.
This was done through an update to Clause 4 (Context of the Organization) and Clause 6 (Planning), which now require companies to:
- 🌡️ Evaluate how climate change may affect their ability to achieve intended results,
- ♻️ Determine if climate risks or opportunities are relevant to their QMS,
- 🌍 Reflect those considerations in risk-based thinking and planning activities.
This amendment applies immediately to ISO 9001:2015 certifications, but it will be fully integrated into ISO 9001:2026 as a permanent part of the standard.
📗 What the Clauses Say (Simplified)
Clause 4.1 – Understanding the Organization and Its Context
Organizations shall determine whether climate change is a relevant issue that can affect their QMS results.
Clause 4.2 – Understanding the Needs and Expectations of Interested Parties
When identifying interested parties, organizations must consider whether climate change concerns influence stakeholder expectations (e.g., customers, regulators, investors, communities).
These short lines may look simple, but they carry significant implications for how companies analyze risks, manage suppliers, and make strategic decisions.
🌱 What This Means in Practice
ISO 9001 2026 climate change requirements don’t ask for a full environmental management system like ISO 14001 🌳. Instead, they require a risk-based reflection:
✅ Consider if climate change could disrupt your QMS — through supply chains, materials, infrastructure, or operations.
✅ Record your rationale in tools such as your SWOT, PESTELE, or risk register.
✅ If it is not relevant, simply document the reasoning — showing you’ve thought it through logically.
💡 Tip:
You don’t need a detailed action plan if climate risks don’t apply to your operations.
But if they do, you should integrate mitigation actions into your QMS or improvement plan.
⚙️ Examples of Climate-Related Impacts on QMS
- 🌦️ Supply chain disruptions due to extreme weather or transport blockages.
- 🔋 Energy instability affecting production capability or testing processes.
- 🧱 Raw material scarcity caused by environmental policies or natural resource limits.
- 🏭 Regulatory shifts that redefine quality requirements (e.g., emissions standards).
- 📦 Customer expectations for eco-friendly packaging, recycling, or carbon disclosure.
Even if your organization doesn’t produce emissions directly, you may still be affected by climate-linked changes in the business ecosystem.
♻️ From Quality to Sustainability Thinking
This amendment reminds us that quality management and sustainability are no longer separate topics.
Sustainable quality means building systems that remain resilient, compliant, and responsible in the face of environmental challenges.
✅ Integration, not duplication:
If you already use ISO 14001 (Environment) or ISO 50001 (Energy), align your analyses — don’t recreate them.
✅ Leadership engagement:
Top management must understand and discuss how climate change influences strategy and performance.
✅ Life-cycle perspective:
Consider environmental impact over the entire product or process life — from design to disposal.
🌤️ Preparing Your QMS for ISO 9001:2026 Climate Change Integration
The good news is that you don’t have to wait for 2026 to start — the climate change amendment is already published and active in ISO 9001:2015 as of 2024.
This means that any organization can (and should) begin implementing it right now.
Doing so offers two major advantages:
- ✅ You’ll be ahead of the transition curve, avoiding last-minute changes when ISO 9001:2026 is released.
- 💡 You’ll strengthen your organization’s resilience, reputation, and credibility by showing that climate awareness is already embedded in your QMS.
In practical terms, implementing this amendment early helps you gain both time and maturity. When the 2026 version becomes mandatory, your organization will already have climate considerations seamlessly integrated — not as a separate “project,” but as part of your existing management system logic.
Here’s how you can start aligning your system today:
1️⃣ Update your Context Analysis (Clause 4):
Add climate-related risks and opportunities into your SWOT or PESTELE matrix. Consider how weather events, supply chain disruptions, or energy volatility could affect your products or services.
2️⃣ Review Risk Management Processes (Clause 6):
Integrate environmental factors into your risk-based thinking. Acknowledge both direct and indirect impacts — for example, supplier disruptions, new regulations, or customer sustainability demands.
3️⃣ Train Teams and Raise Awareness:
Ensure that your quality, engineering, and leadership teams understand this amendment and its connection to operational risks, compliance, and customer perception.
4️⃣ Engage Stakeholders:
Customers, suppliers, and even investors increasingly expect to see proactive environmental thinking. Communicate how your QMS anticipates these challenges.
5️⃣ Integrate with ISO 14001 or ESG Objectives:
If you already have an environmental management system or ESG roadmap, align your documentation and analysis tools. This integration helps reduce duplication while reinforcing compliance.
💬 Pro Tip:
Because the climate amendment is already active, auditors can legitimately review it during current ISO 9001 audits.
Starting now will save time, demonstrate foresight, and help you lead the migration — not follow it.
🧭 Why It Matters Beyond Compliance
ISO 9001:2026 climate change integration is not just a formality — it’s about resilience and future readiness.
By anticipating environmental risks, organizations can:
- 🌍 Build credibility with regulators and customers.
- 💰 Avoid disruptions and costly reactivity.
- 🌱 Strengthen their reputation for sustainable leadership.
- 🛠️ Develop more adaptive and innovative systems.
Climate change isn’t a distant concern anymore — it’s a business continuity factor.
This amendment ensures quality systems evolve accordingly.
💡 Key Takeaway
ISO 9001:2026 brings sustainability into the heart of quality. The 2024 Climate Change Amendment is not optional — it’s a signal for organizations to connect quality, risk, and responsibility under one integrated QMS.
This change marks a turning point: Quality can no longer focus solely on process efficiency and product conformity — it must also ensure resilience and responsibility toward a changing environment.
The amendment encourages organizations to think beyond the factory walls, integrating climate awareness into planning, supplier management, and long-term decision-making.
Leaders who act early will transform compliance into opportunity — optimizing energy use, improving resource efficiency, and strengthening stakeholder confidence.
Those who wait may find themselves adapting reactively, rather than shaping the future of their management systems.