A draft amendment to one of the most widely adopted management standards for enhancing environmental performance, Environmental Management Systems (BS EN ISO 14001) is being consulted upon.

First published by BSI in 1992, the standard was adopted internationally in 1996. In the nearly 30 years since, ISO 14001 has become one of the most widely adopted management standards globally. There are now more than 500,000 certifications to it in over 180 countries worldwide.

The standard offers organisations a comprehensive framework to design, implement, and continuously improve their environmental management system (EMS). Adherence to its principles is intended to enable organisations to proactively minimise their environmental impact, ensure legal compliance, and achieve their sustainability goals, whether around reduced energy consumption, lower emissions, decreased waste or improved risk management.

The public consultation, opened by BSI in its capacity as the UK National Standards Body, provides stakeholders with an opportunity to offer feedback that will shape the future direction of this landmark standard.

David Fatscher, head of standards – sustainability & ESG, BSI, said “As we confront evolving environmental challenges, it is important that the standard reflects the views of a diverse range of stakeholders. BSI encourage all interested parties to review the proposed changes and contribute their feedback to help shape the future of this essential standard and drive progress on global sustainability goals.”

The window for commenting on the BSI draft review site is closes on 29th March 2025.

---