TBT-09: Climate Change & the ISO Amendment¶

Reference: TBT-09 | Issue Date: 17/03/2026 | Review Date: Sep 2026 Applicable Standards: ISO 9001 Amd 1:2024 | ISO 14001 Amd 1:2024 | ISO 45001 Amd 1:2024 | IAF MD 4:2023 Related Documents: HPOL01, HPOL03, HSQEMS02, HREG01 (Refs 21–22), HREG02, HREG04 (L20)

All Staff

This toolbox talk applies to everyone at CRGI Solutions. Climate change is now a formal certification requirement across all three of our ISO standards — not just environmental. The auditor will check that staff are aware of it.

What Changed and Why¶

In February 2024, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published Amendment 1 to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 simultaneously. The International Accreditation Forum (IAF) had already issued guidance (IAF MD 4:2023) requiring certification bodies to assess climate change considerations during every audit from mid-2024 onwards.

The amendment adds two short but significant requirements to each standard:

Organisations must determine whether climate change is a relevant issue for their management system
If it is relevant, climate change must be considered when identifying risks, opportunities, and the needs of interested parties

CRGI Solutions has determined that climate change is relevant to our operations. This is documented in our Scope & Context document (HSQEMS02) and reflected across our risk registers.

Why It Applies to All Three Standards¶

Climate change isn't just an environmental matter. The amendment was applied across the full suite because the effects of climate change touch quality, environment, and health and safety alike.

Quality (ISO 9001)¶

Climate change affects the quality of engineering services in ways you might not immediately expect:

Client expectations are shifting — more clients now require sustainability, energy efficiency, or carbon analysis as part of engineering deliverables. If we don't account for this, we risk delivering work that doesn't meet customer requirements (Cl. 8.2.2)
Supply chain disruption — extreme weather events, material shortages, and energy price volatility can affect project timelines, material availability, and design constraints
Regulatory change — building standards, planning requirements, and energy performance regulations are tightening in response to climate policy. Designs must comply with current and foreseeable requirements
Design lifecycle — assets we design today may operate for 25–50 years. Climate conditions at end of life will be different from those at installation. Resilient design accounts for this

Environment (ISO 14001)¶

This is the most obvious connection. TA-04 covers environmental aspects in more detail, but the key climate points are:

Our carbon footprint — energy use from home offices, business travel, equipment lifecycle. Tracked in HREG02
Design influence — the biggest environmental impact CRGI has is indirect, through the engineering solutions we design for clients. A more energy-efficient design has a far larger carbon benefit than switching off your monitor
Legal obligations — the UK Climate Change Act 2008 commits the country to net zero by 2050. Sector-specific regulations (Building Regulations Part L, ESOS, SECR) are tightening. Our Legal Register (HREG04, L20) tracks these
Interested parties — clients, regulators, and the public increasingly expect organisations to demonstrate climate awareness

Health & Safety (ISO 45001)¶

Climate change creates new and evolving occupational health and safety risks:

Heat stress — rising temperatures affect anyone working on site, particularly in enclosed spaces, near heat-generating equipment, or in PPE. Traditional UK summer temperatures are no longer a reliable planning assumption
Extreme weather — flooding, storms, and ice create hazards for site visits and travel. Risk assessments should account for weather conditions (RA001 — Client Site Visit)
Indoor air quality — changes in humidity and temperature patterns affect home working environments. Overheating in summer and inadequate ventilation are becoming more common
Mental health — climate anxiety is a recognised psychosocial factor, particularly among younger workers. Our wellbeing support (TA-02) should recognise this
New biological hazards — warmer UK winters may introduce insect-borne health risks not previously considered in UK workplace risk assessments

What CRGI Has Done¶

The management system already reflects Amendment 1. Here's where climate change sits in our documentation:

HSQEMS02 (Scope & Context) — climate change identified as a relevant external issue under all three standards, with documented justification
HREG01 (Risk Register) — Refs 21–22 capture climate-related risks: increasing demand for low-carbon design capability, and rising energy costs affecting system design parameters
HREG02 (Aspects Register) — tracks our carbon footprint from remote operations, travel, and equipment
HREG04 (Legal Register) — L20 references all three ISO amendments and the UK Climate Change Act
HPOL03 (Environmental Policy) — commits to reducing our environmental impact and considering climate in our operations
HPOL01 (HSQE Policy) — overarching commitment that encompasses climate considerations

What It Means for You¶

You don't need to become a climate scientist. But you do need to be aware that climate change is part of how CRGI operates and how we deliver work. Practically, this means:

In Your Design Work¶

Consider energy efficiency and carbon impact when selecting engineering solutions
Think about the operational lifetime of what you're designing — will it still perform in a warmer, wetter, or more volatile climate?
Where clients specify sustainability requirements, treat them with the same rigour as any other design specification
If you see an opportunity to offer a lower-carbon alternative that meets performance requirements, raise it with the project lead

In Your Daily Work¶

The small actions matter collectively — energy use, waste reduction, travel choices (covered in TA-04)
Keep climate and sustainability awareness in mind during client conversations
If you identify a climate-related risk or opportunity that isn't captured in our registers, flag it to Sean Ashton

During Audits¶

The Surveillance 1 auditor (Alcumus ISOQAR) will check that staff are aware of climate change as a relevant issue
You should be able to explain, in general terms, that CRGI has determined climate change is relevant and has documented it across the management system
You don't need to quote clause numbers — just demonstrate awareness that it's been considered

Key Takeaways¶

ISO Amendment 1:2024 requires climate change to be considered across quality, environment, and health and safety — it's not just an environmental issue
CRGI has documented climate change as a relevant issue in HSQEMS02 and reflected it in our risk, aspects, and legal registers
In design work, consider energy efficiency, lifecycle resilience, and client sustainability expectations
Climate change creates new H&S risks including heat stress, extreme weather, and indoor environment changes
If you identify a climate-related risk or opportunity, report it — the registers are living documents
Be prepared to demonstrate basic awareness if asked during an external audit

CRGI Solutions HSQE Department | HSQEMS v2.0 | Classification: CRGI Information