Published 21 January 2026 by the RLM Consult Certify Comply team
Two changes at the top of the certification system arrived within a fortnight of each other. On 1 January 2026 the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) began operating as one body, Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated, known as Global ACI. And on 5 January ISO released the Final Draft International Standard of the revised ISO 14001, which puts publication of ISO 14001:2026 only months away. Here is what each one means for a certified Australian contractor.
Global ACI: the merger you will see on your certificate
Every accredited certificate in Australia carries a chain of recognition. Your certification body is accredited by JAS-ANZ, and JAS-ANZ is a signatory to the international mutual recognition arrangements that make an Australian certificate acceptable to a client in Singapore or a regulator in New Zealand. Until December those arrangements were run by two organisations: IAF for management system certification and ILAC for laboratory and inspection accreditation. Global ACI now runs both.
What changes for you is mostly cosmetic. The IAF MLA mark and the ILAC MRA mark on certificates and reports remain valid through a transition period that is expected to run to 1 January 2029, or later if regulators and markets need it. Over that period certification bodies will move to the Global ACI mark, and certificates issued at your next recertification or surveillance may carry the new logo. No certificate is invalidated by the merger, and no re-audit is required because of it.
What changes for the system is more interesting. A single body sets the transition rules for revised standards, which is exactly the job it will have to do this year for ISO 14001:2026 and, later, for ISO 9001. Expect the transition timetables to be published by Global ACI rather than IAF, and expect certification bodies to quote them.
ISO 14001 at final draft: what the revision changes
The Final Draft International Standard (FDIS) is the last ballot stage before publication, and the technical content is now settled. Based on the draft, the revised ISO 14001 makes five changes that matter to a contractor’s environmental management system.
- Climate change and wider environmental conditions in context. Clause 4 now expects the organisation to consider climate change alongside other environmental conditions such as natural resources, pollution and biodiversity when it determines its context and the needs of interested parties. This builds the 2024 climate amendment into the body of the standard.
- Risks and opportunities restructured. The planning clause is reorganised so that risks and opportunities have their own sub clause (6.1.4), separated from the general requirements, aspects and compliance obligations. The intent is clearer planning, not new obligations.
- A new clause on change management (6.3). Planned changes to the system, to processes or to the organisation must be carried out in a controlled way. Most contractors already do this through management of change procedures. Now it is a stated requirement.
- Externally provided processes, products and services (8.1). Operational control is extended to make clear that outsourced processes and purchased products and services are within the system’s reach, which for a contractor means subcontractors and suppliers.
- Harmonised structure and a rewritten Annex A. The standard follows the current harmonised structure used across ISO management system standards, and the guidance annex has been substantially revised to make it more useful.
What to do now
Nothing needs to change on your certificate until the standard is published and the transition timetable is set. Based on previous revisions, expect a three year transition from publication, with a cut off for initial certifications to the 2015 edition partway through. If your surveillance or recertification audit falls in the second half of 2026, ask your certification body whether it will be conducted against the new edition, and start a gap analysis now on the four substantive changes. For most clients we work with the gap is small: an updated context review that considers climate and biodiversity, a change management procedure, and tighter supplier controls.
Frequently asked questions
What is Global ACI?
Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated, known as Global ACI, is the single international body formed when the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) merged. It began operating on 1 January 2026 and runs the mutual recognition arrangements between accreditation bodies such as JAS-ANZ.
Is my ISO certificate still valid after the IAF and ILAC merger?
Yes. The merger does not affect the validity of any accredited certificate. The existing IAF and ILAC marks remain usable during a transition expected to run until 1 January 2029, or later if needed, and certification bodies will move to the Global ACI mark over that period.
When will ISO 14001:2026 be published?
ISO released the Final Draft International Standard on 5 January 2026. Publication normally follows within a few months of a successful FDIS ballot, so ISO 14001:2026 is expected during the first half of 2026.
Will I have to be re-audited against ISO 14001:2026?
Certified organisations will need to transition to the new edition within the period set by Global ACI, usually three years from publication. The transition is normally handled at a scheduled surveillance or recertification audit rather than through a separate audit.