Transition ISO 50001:2011 to ISO 50001:2018

In August 2018 ISO has published the standard ISO 50001:2018 “Energy Management Systems – Requirements with guidance for use” as a revision of ISO 50001:2011. In its meetings in October 2018 the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) has decided about the transition arrangement for this revision.

Transition arrangement

This arrangement states that the certificates issued to the ISO 50001:2011 shall expire or be withdrawn before 21 August 2021. Also IAF decided that certification bodies (CBs) shall complete the transition for ISO 50001:2018 with their Accreditation Body before 21 February 2020. After this date the CB shall cease conducting initial, surveillance and recertification audits to the ISO 50001:2011.

Read more about the transition arrangement: IAF Resolution 2017-14.

RvA transition arrangement

Based on these IAF transition arrangement RvA decided to establish the following transition arrangement. CBs holding an accreditation for certification against ISO 50001 may apply after 21 February 2019 for extending their accreditation for certification against ISO 50001:2018. This application will be send to RvA with form F105 and will include the following information:

  • An action plan how the CB intends to implement the certification against the ISO 50001:2018. The information shall demonstrate that the plan is based on an analysis of the differences between the two versions of the standard and that the plan ensures that the above mentioned elements of the IAF Resolution 2017-14 will be implemented.
  • Information on how the clients are informed about the transition arrangement for certification against the ISO 50001:2018;
  • Evidence of training of auditors and decision makers for the new version of the standard and information on how the competence of the CB for certification against this standard is assured in its management system.

Based on this information the RvA will conduct the assessment. The CB is entitled to issue certificates against the ISO 50001:2018 after RvA has taken a positive decision about granting the extension of the CB’s accreditation for this standard.

This RvA arrangement means that RvA will not in advance verify competence of the CB by conducting witnessing of audits by the CB against ISO 50001:2018. This implies that responsibility for correct implementation of the new standard lies solely with the CB. Whenever during a RvA assessment it is found that certificates are issued for which the CB cannot demonstrate its competence for ISO 50001:2018, a non-conformity category A may be raised. To close such a non-conformity RvA may require the CB to withdraw certificates it has issued against this standard.