Did you know that businesses with ISO 50001 are automatically ESOS compliant?
ESOS compliant businesses will shortly be required to undertake their ESOS 3 site surveys, analysis, and submission with the Environment Agency.
While ESOS is compulsory for businesses with over 250 staff, or a turnover in excess of £44 million or balance sheet of £38 million, there is an alternative route to ESOS compliance: ISO 50001. That’s because businesses with ISO 50001 are automatically compliant with ESOS and don’t have to submit to the process.
Why do ISO 50001 rather than ESOS?
The energy price crisis, climate change legislation, and the UK’s obligation to net zero by 2050 are all drivers for delivering an effective system to continuously manage energy. Even businesses that are complying with ESOS may not have a strategy in place to conduct the following:
- continuously manage and reduce group energy consumption
- lower costs
- minimise CO2
While ESOS will certainly help businesses identify strategies to reduce their energy consumption, the ISO Energy Management System (EnMS) goes further by providing a continuous framework to monitor, manage, and reduce usage.
An effective EnMS will deliver the following:
- An effective Energy Management Policy
- Support with resource for implementation
- Compliance with UK and International energy efficiency legislation review
- Support with energy analysis for cost-effective energy efficiency opportunities
- Energy procurement impacts
- Life Cycle Cost analysis
- Periodic internal audits to review performance
- Provide planning for remedial actions
A recognisable quality mark
ISO 50001 is a national benchmark and demonstrates a business’s commitment to environmental standards. In addition to reducing their energy costs, it can also allow businesses access to clients and projects that require specific quality marks and standards. If you already have other standards (such as ISO 14001 or ISO 9001), ISO 50001 can be integrated with existing processes.
Which route is right for you: ESOS or ISO 50001?
That really depends on your business: your objectives, your resources, your energy use, and your ambitions. Both can offer real benefits and keep you compliant, but it can be useful to discuss the options with an expert to see which is the best fit. We are qualified and registered to work with businesses on both ESOS and ISO 50001, so we can help to guide you, objectively, on the best route.
Contact us for a no obligation discussion on the merits of each and which option could work best for you.
