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8th May 2026

The new edition of ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems is now available for purchase at Standards.ie.

ISO 14001 is the leading International Standard for environmental management. Adopted by more than 670,000 organisations worldwide*, it provides a trusted framework that helps organisations manage their environmental responsibilities systematically and effectively.

What has changed?

Replacing I.S. EN ISO 14001:2015, the new edition builds on this foundation to reflect today’s environmental priorities, including climate change, biodiversity, and resource efficiency. I.S. EN ISO 14001:2026 is simpler to understand, easier to implement and to integrate seamlessly with other ISO management systems standards.

What does this mean for certified organisations?

All organisations currently certified to I.S. EN ISO 14001:2015 are required to transition to the new standard. It is expected that there will be a three-year transition period, with an indicative deadline of 15th of April 2029. Certification to I.S. EN ISO 14001:2015 will no longer be valid after this date.

NSAI will continue to update transition information as it becomes available from ISO/CASCO and Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated (previously IAF/ILAC).

An indicative schedule to transition is outlined below:

Date

Stage

Action

 

April 2026

 

Publication of I.S. EN ISO 14001:2026

 

Certified organisations should purchase a copy and review their EMS to identify gaps.

Q2 2026 (expected)

Transition rules published

 

Global ACI/IAF is expected to publish rules around transition. INAB will issue communication to certification bodies regarding extending their scope.

Summer 2026 (expected)

NSAI accreditation extension to scope

NSAI will apply for accreditation from INAB for certification activity to I.S. EN ISO 14001:2026.

Q3/Q4 2026 (expected)

Transition audits to commence

 

NSAI will start performing transition audits for certified organisations.

April 2028 (expected)

Certification to I.S. EN ISO 14001:2026 only

 

All initial certification audits by NSAI will be to I.S. EN ISO 14001:2026 only.

15th April 2029 (expected)

Transition deadline

 

All organisations must be certified to I.S. EN ISO 14001:2026. Certification to I.S. EN ISO 14001:2015 will no longer be valid.

 

What should organisations do now?

Organisations are encouraged to take the following steps to prepare for a seamless transition:

  • Purchase the new standards at Standards.ie and familiarise yourself with the updated requirements.
  • Review your existing EMS to identify any gaps between your current system and the requirements of the I.S. EN ISO 14001:2026.
  • Stay up to date with the latest NSAI news for transition timeline information as it becomes available.
  • Link ISO 14001 Environmental Management | NSAI

About ISO

ISO, the International Organisation for Standardisation, is a global network of the world’s leading standardisers. Bringing together experts from all over the world to develop International Standards, ISO is one of the oldest non-governmental international organisations.

Learn more about their work here - https://www.iso.org/home.html

*Number of certified organisations as per the ISO Survey 2024 (676,232)

[Disclaimer: All reasonable effort was made to ensure that the information on this page was correct at the time of publication. Any views or opinions expressed on this page are not necessarily those of NSAI. NSAI accepts no responsibility or liability howsoever arising from the contents of this publication or any errors, inaccuracies, or omissions in the contents of the information provided therein.]

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