Overview
ISO 37301:2021/Amd 1:2024 is an amendment to ISO 37301 (Compliance management systems - Requirements with guidance for use) that introduces climate action changes to the standard’s requirements about the organization’s context and interested parties. The amendment clarifies how climate change should be considered within a compliance management system by adding explicit direction in the context clauses (notably clauses 4.1 and 4.2).
Key topics and requirements
- Context of the organization (clause 4.1)
- The amendment adds: “The organization shall determine whether climate change is a relevant issue.” Organizations must assess whether climate-related matters affect their compliance obligations and system design.
- Interested parties (clause 4.2)
- The amendment adds a note: relevant interested parties can have requirements related to climate change. This highlights that stakeholders (regulators, customers, investors, communities) may impose climate-related compliance expectations.
- Implications for compliance management (high level)
- Integrate climate-related risks and obligations into compliance risk assessment, policies, procedures and controls.
- Ensure monitoring and documentation of climate-related compliance requirements from regulators and stakeholders.
- Align governance and reporting to reflect any climate-relevant compliance responsibilities.
Applications and who should use it
- Who benefits
- Compliance officers, legal teams, governance and risk managers, sustainability and ESG teams, internal auditors, and senior leadership who oversee compliance systems.
- Where it applies
- Organizations of all sizes that operate in sectors exposed to climate regulation, stakeholder scrutiny or climate-related financial reporting.
- Useful when integrating environmental and climate considerations into an existing ISO 37301-compliant system.
- Practical uses
- Scoping the compliance management system to include climate obligations.
- Updating stakeholder maps to capture climate-related requirements.
- Aligning compliance controls with evolving climate laws, permits, disclosure requirements and voluntary commitments.
Related standards
- ISO 37301:2021 (base standard - Compliance management systems)
- ISO 14001 (Environmental management systems) - often used alongside compliance systems when environmental and climate matters overlap
This amendment emphasizes the increasing need to treat climate change as a potential compliance driver. Organizations should review clause 4 of ISO 37301 and incorporate climate relevance and stakeholder requirements into their compliance planning and controls. Keywords: ISO 37301, compliance management, climate action, climate change relevance, ISO 37301:2021/Amd 1:2024, interested parties, governance, compliance risk.
Open preview (PDF)Compliance management systems — Requirements with guidance for use — Amendment 1: Climate action changes