Standard · Current edition: ISO 50001:2018

ISO 50001 Certification

Energy management systems

ISO 50001 provides the framework through which an organisation systematically improves its energy performance: energy efficiency, energy use and energy consumption. Certification demonstrates a measurable commitment to reducing costs and the carbon footprint.

Current edition
ISO 50001:2018
Intended for
Organisations with significant energy consumption: industry, buildings and facilities, logistics, utilities, data centres, large energy consumers
Certificate validity
3 years, with annual surveillance audits
Integrates with
ISO 14001 · ISO 9001
Overview

What is ISO 50001

ISO 50001:2018 specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and improving an energy management system (EnMS). The purpose is to enable the organisation to follow a systematic approach to achieving continual improvement of energy performance, including energy efficiency, energy use and energy consumption.

The elements specific to the standard are the energy review, the identification of significant energy uses (SEUs), the establishment of energy performance indicators (EnPIs) and energy baselines (EnBs), energy data collection planning and the consideration of energy performance in design and procurement. The standard follows the high level structure common to ISO management standards.

ISO 50001 certification is relevant for companies with significant energy costs, for those subject to legal energy efficiency obligations and for organisations with decarbonisation objectives and ESG reporting.

Who it is for
  • Industrial companies with energy-intensive processes
  • Large energy consumers subject to legal energy audit obligations
  • Operators of buildings, facilities, data centres and infrastructure
  • Transport and logistics companies with fleets and warehouses
  • Organisations with emission reduction objectives and sustainability reporting
Benefits

Benefits of ISO 50001 certification

01

Lower energy costs

Identification of significant energy uses and of improvement opportunities with a measurable impact.

02

Demonstrable performance

Energy performance indicators and baselines that make improvements verifiable.

03

Legal compliance

A certified EnMS may be recognised as an alternative to the mandatory energy audit for large consumers, in accordance with energy efficiency legislation.

04

Decarbonisation

Lower energy consumption translates directly into lower greenhouse gas emissions.

05

Better-informed investment decisions

Energy data helps prioritise investment in efficiency and renewable energy projects.

06

Integration with ISO 14001

Common structure for an integrated environment-energy system.

Structure of the standard

Main requirements of the standard

The standard follows the high level structure (Annex SL) common to ISO management system standards, with its requirements set out in clauses 4 to 10.

  1. Clause 4

    Context of the organisation

    Issues relevant to energy performance, interested parties, legal and other requirements, the scope and boundaries of the system.

  2. Clause 5

    Leadership

    Management commitment, the energy policy, roles and responsibilities, including the energy management team.

  3. Clause 6

    Planning

    Risks and opportunities, energy objectives and targets, the energy review, energy performance indicators, the energy baseline, energy data collection planning.

  4. Clause 7

    Support

    Resources, competence, awareness, communication and documented information.

  5. Clause 8

    Operation

    Operational planning and control for significant energy uses, design and procurement taking energy performance into account.

  6. Clause 9

    Performance evaluation

    Monitoring, measurement, analysis and evaluation of energy performance and of the EnMS, evaluation of compliance, internal audit and management review.

  7. Clause 10

    Improvement

    Nonconformity and corrective action, continual improvement of energy performance and of the system.

Edition notes

Amendment 1:2024 on climate change

Clauses 4.1 and 4.2 require determining the relevance of climate change for the energy management system and for interested parties.

The 2018 edition

ISO 50001:2018 replaced the 2011 edition, aligning the standard with the high level structure and clarifying the concepts of energy performance, normalisation of EnPIs and EnBs, and energy data collection planning.

How It Works

The Certification Process

A clear and transparent process, from application to certificate issuance.

  1. 01

    Application and quotation

    Send us your organisation's details and the standard you are aiming for. We review your application and prepare a tailored quotation, including the audit duration and plan.

  2. 02

    Stage 1 audit

    We review your management system documentation and assess how ready your organisation is for the certification audit.

  3. 03

    Stage 2 audit

    The on-site audit checks that the system is implemented and effective against the requirements of the standard.

  4. 04

    Decision and certificate

    The certification committee reviews the audit report and issues the certificate, valid for 3 years.

Maintaining certification

Annual surveillance audits and a recertification audit at the end of the three-year cycle keep your certificate valid without interruption.

Certification Regulations
Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about ISO 50001

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Does ISO 50001 replace the mandatory energy audit?
Energy efficiency legislation provides that large consumers implementing an energy management system certified by an independent body may be exempted from the periodic energy audit obligation, provided that the system includes an energy audit in accordance with legal requirements. Check the specific requirements applicable to your organisation.
What are EnPIs and EnBs?
Energy performance indicators (EnPIs) are quantitative measures of energy performance (for example kWh per unit of product). The energy baseline (EnB) is the quantitative reference against which performance is compared. Both can be normalised for relevant variables (production, outdoor temperature) to highlight real improvements.
Do we need to demonstrate improvement of energy performance?
Yes. Unlike other management standards, ISO 50001 requires evidence of continual improvement of energy performance, not only of the system. The certification audit and surveillance audits verify the evolution of EnPIs against the baseline.
Can it be integrated with ISO 14001?
Yes. ISO 50001 and ISO 14001 share a common structure and energy is usually a significant environmental aspect; many organisations implement an integrated environment-energy system, audited in a combined audit.
Related standards

Integrated certification

Standards that share the same structure can be implemented as one integrated system and audited together in a single combined audit, reducing total audit time.

Contact

Request a quote for ISO 50001 certification

Tell us a little about your organisation and the standard you are aiming for. We will come back to you with a quotation and a proposed audit schedule as soon as possible.

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