ISO MANAGEMENT STANDARDS AND THE CONCEPT OF A HIGH-LEVEL STRUCTURE
ISO’s management system standards (MSS) are among the most widely used and recognized documents that we publish. They include standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 50001, which apply to quality management, environmental management and energy management respectively. In fact, there are more than 80 MSS. There’s a lot to know, and even experienced standards users might want to consult the complete list or find out more about how MSS work.
One of the fundamental principles is that all the standards can work together. Those who already use an MSS in one part of their business, and are considering implementing additional ones in another area, will find that the process has been made as intuitive as possible. That’s thanks to the High-Level Structure (HLS). The concept of HLS is that management standards are structured in the same way, regardless of the domain of application. Users who are familiar with one MSS will immediately feel at ease with another, even when using if for the first time.
ANNEX SL: MORE THAN A SHARED STRUCTURE
In addition to being laid out in the same way, there are some parts of a standard where identical text can be used. This improves coherence and recognition, simplifies use, and is defined in something called “Annex SL”. It means that in addition to having the same structure, MSS can contain many of the same terms and definitions. This is particularly useful for those organizations that choose to operate a single (sometimes called “integrated”) management system that can meet the requirements of two or more MSS being used simultaneously.
Annex SL plays a key role in the interoperability and user friendliness of standards for countless users of ISO management standards around the world. You can find comprehensive information about the current Annex SL here.
CHANGES WILL TAKE PLACE IN 2021: HOW MIGHT YOU BE AFFECTED?
Annex SL has been in use since 2012. As part of ISO’s commitment to keep its standards real-world relevant, we surveyed MSS users in 2018 to get their views on how the Annex could be evolved. Conscious that any change would have widespread implications, everybody involved agrees that all changes need to be given thorough consideration. Literally millions of people work on a daily basis with MSS, so we are working to ensure that the changes made bring clear, widespread advantages. Where possible, changes will only be made to specific subparts of Annex SL to better maintain its overall familiarity to current users.
As with all ISO standards, the revision is a team effort guided by consensus. The agreed plan is to complete a new version in 2020, which will come into effect in 2021.
It’s important to bear in mind that the publication of the revised Annex SL will not mean that existing MSS are obsolete or in need of a revision. The approach will be to use the revised Annex SL only in new standards as well as those that are scheduled for periodic revision of their content.
