ISO 50001
ISO 50001 Energy Management System
A systematic approach to using energy more efficiently.
ISO 50001 specifies the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and improving an energy management system. Its purpose is to enable an organisation to follow a systematic approach to achieving continual improvement of energy performance, including energy efficiency, use and consumption.
Organisations of any size can use it to measure their energy use, identify where it can be reduced, and show that the improvements are real.
Key requirements
What ISO 50001 asks for
Context of the organisation
Understand internal and external issues, interested parties and the scope of the system.
Leadership
Top management shows commitment, sets the policy and assigns roles and responsibilities.
Planning
Address risks and opportunities and set measurable objectives.
Support
Provide the resources, competence, awareness, communication and documented information needed.
Energy review and baseline
Analyse energy use, identify significant uses and set an energy baseline to measure against.
Energy performance indicators
Define indicators and monitor energy performance against objectives and targets.
Performance evaluation
Monitor, measure, audit internally and review the system at management level.
Improvement
Correct nonconformities and keep improving the system.
Benefits
Why organisations use it
- Lower energy costs
- Measurable improvement in energy performance
- Reduced greenhouse gas emissions
- Better planning of energy purchases and investment
- Credibility for sustainability reporting
Who it is for
Typical organisations
ANAP accreditation
How ANAP accredits ISO 50001 certification bodies
Certification bodies auditing ISO 50001 are assessed against ISO/IEC 17021-1, together with the energy management requirements of ISO 50003.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does ISO 50001 require us to buy new equipment?+
No. It requires a system to manage energy. Equipment changes are decided by the organisation based on its own energy review.
Who benefits most from ISO 50001?+
Organisations where energy is a significant cost, such as industrial sites, large buildings and data centres, but any organisation can apply it.