ISO 50001 in Canada

About ISO 50001

Every organization wants a competitive edge, and one of the most reliable ways to gain it is to use resources better – less consumption means lower costs and higher profit. Yet even as awareness of energy use and emissions has grown, using energy sustainably has remained a challenge. Most organizations rely on electricity and often gas, steam, and other power sources to operate. So how do you reduce consumption while maintaining performance? The answer lies in ISO 50001, the international standard for an Energy Management System (EnMS). (The current edition is ISO 50001:2018.)

ISO 50001 provides a framework of best practices in energy management for organizations of any size or sector. It helps you manage, monitor, and maintain energy performance by reducing energy use and improving efficiency, with a strong emphasis on continual improvement – which lowers energy costs and reduces environmental impact.

Which organizations should implement ISO 50001?

ISO 50001 applies to virtually any organization that uses energy, regardless of industry. It suits any size, type, complexity, location, or culture, and covers all of an organization’s energy-related activities. It works regardless of how much or what type of energy you use, or what you use it for. The standard calls for continual improvement in energy efficiency, but does not dictate a specific level a company must reach.

Benefits of ISO 50001

• Lower energy costs: an EnMS helps you assess how you use energy and find ways to reduce consumption, and implement controls to manage use and improve efficiency. Reducing waste and consumption lowers costs – which can mean significant savings for energy-intensive organizations.
• Increased credibility: ISO 50001 is a widely recognized international standard. Customers and partners tend to trust a certified organization, knowing it has taken steps to improve energy efficiency and had its systems independently reviewed.
• Regulatory compliance: the standard requires you to consider legal and regulatory obligations when setting up your EnMS, and supports the necessary compliance reporting – lowering the risk of fines and helping you respond faster to changes in requirements.
• Competitive advantage: an improved reputation can open up new commercial opportunities. Some organizations require specific certifications before working with a supplier, so energy-management certification can give you an edge.

How to get ISO 50001 certification?

Step 1 – Develop an Energy Management System: the certification process begins with an EnMS in place. This includes delegating roles and responsibilities, assembling a management team, making decisions about energy use, creating ways to monitor consumption, setting targets, documenting procedures for implementation and operation, and building a qualified team.

Step 2 – Implementation: follow your documented procedures and adopt the standard’s requirements – establishing an energy policy, carrying out risk assessments, creating implementation plans, setting up training and education, and putting all of the above into action.

Step 3 – Internal audits: once implemented, conduct internal audits to support continual improvement and prepare for the third-party audit. Internal audits review performance and identify non-conformities, which should be resolved before the external audit. The audit is documented so the report can be reviewed by the certification body’s auditors.

Step 4 – Certification audit: a certification body carries out the certification audit to confirm compliance. Once successfully completed, the certificate is issued – typically valid for three years, with surveillance audits during that period to confirm the system continues to be implemented effectively.

Contact IAS today to learn more about ISO 50001, or visit our frequently asked questions page.

Explore more

• ISO 50001 Certification in Canada – energy management certification
• ISO 50001 Training in Canada – auditor training for energy management
• ISO 14001 in Canada – environmental management, often paired with energy management.