ISO 9001 and Climate Change: Understanding the 2024 Amendment to Clause 4
26 February 2026
In February 2024, ISO published an amendment to ISO 9001:2015 that every certified organization needs to understand. For the first time, the standard explicitly requires you to consider climate change as part of your Quality Management System. The change is small – a single sentence in Clause 4.1 and a corresponding note in Clause 4.2 – but its implications are worth understanding.
This article explains exactly what the amendment requires, how it affects your next audit, and the straightforward steps to update your QMS. It also puts this change in context: this amendment is a preview of what the upcoming ISO 9001:2026 revision will formally integrate.
What the Amendment Actually Says
The 2024 amendment is remarkably concise. It consists of two additions to Clause 4 of the standard:
Clause 4.1 – Understanding the Organization and its Context
The following text has been added at the end of the clause:
The organization shall determine whether climate change is a relevant issue.
Clause 4.2 – Understanding the Needs and Expectations of Interested Parties
A note has been added at the end of the clause:
NOTE: Relevant interested parties can have requirements related to climate change.
That is it. A single requirement and a single note. The amendment does not create a new clause, does not mandate a climate action plan, and does not require you to measure your carbon footprint. It simply requires you to determine whether climate change is a relevant factor for your QMS.
What This Means for Your Next Audit
Your certification auditor will expect to see evidence that your organization has considered climate change as part of its Context of the Organization analysis. This does not mean you need to implement a full environmental management system. It means you need to:
Assess relevance. Determine whether climate change could impact your operations, supply chain, customers, or regulatory environment.
Document your decision. Record the outcome of your assessment, whether the answer is "relevant" or "not relevant."
If relevant, take proportionate action. If you determine climate change is a relevant factor, treat it like any other external issue in your risk register and address it through your existing processes.
Practical Steps to Update Your QMS
Complying with this amendment is a simple documentation update for most organizations. Here is what we recommend:
Update your Context of the Organization procedure. Add "climate change" to the list of external factors you consider when analyzing your organization's context (Clause 4.1).
Update any supporting forms or checklists. If you use a form that prompts managers with a list of possible external factors, add climate change to that list.
Conduct and document your assessment. Hold a brief meeting or review to determine whether climate change is relevant to your QMS. Document the outcome, even if the answer is "not relevant." This documented decision is what your auditor will look for.
If climate change is determined to be relevant, it should be factored into your risk management process alongside other external issues like regulatory changes, market shifts, and technological developments. No new or separate process is required.
Considering Climate Change: What to Think About
When evaluating whether climate change is relevant to your organization, consider both direct and indirect implications. You do not need to address every one of these. They are prompts to help you determine relevance for your specific business:
Direct operational impacts: Changing weather patterns that affect your facilities, logistics, or raw material availability.
Regulatory requirements: New or emerging regulations on emissions, energy use, or environmental reporting that apply to your industry or location.
Supply chain disruptions: Extreme weather events or resource shortages affecting your suppliers' ability to deliver.
Customer and investor expectations: Growing demand from clients and stakeholders for environmentally responsible business practices.
Market and technology shifts: Emerging technologies or changing consumer preferences driven by climate concerns.
For many small businesses, the direct relevance of climate change may be minimal. For a manufacturer with a global supply chain, it could be significant. The standard does not prescribe the outcome of your assessment – only that you perform one.
This Amendment Is Not Limited to ISO 9001
It is worth noting that this amendment also affects approximately 30 other ISO management system standards, including ISO 14001, ISO 27001, ISO 45001, and ISO 22000. If your organization holds multiple certifications, the same climate change consideration has been added to each standard's equivalent Context of the Organization clause. One documented assessment can satisfy the requirement across all your certified standards.
Conclusion
The 2024 amendment to ISO 9001:2015 is a small, targeted addition that reflects the growing importance of climate considerations in business. It does not require a new certification, a massive documentation overhaul, or a new management system. It requires a single, documented decision: is climate change relevant to your QMS?
For most organizations, compliance is a minor documentation update and a brief management discussion. The key is to take action before your next audit. Ensure your Context of the Organization procedure and forms have been updated, and that a documented assessment exists.
At 9001Simplified, we are always up to date with all amendments and revisions. Our products, including the ISO 9001 Certification Toolkit, come with free updates for 5 years, so you never need to worry about keeping your documentation current.
