ISO 45001 Explained: Benefits & Our Certification

What is ISO 45001?

The ISO 45001 certification is the world’s leading standard for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMS). It gives organisations a structured, internationally recognised way to identify hazards, assess and control risks, and continuously improve worker safety and wellbeing.

The certification focused on people’s health and safety at work. It complements environmental and waste-related frameworks (for example, ISO 14001 or WEEE/R2 schemes) by ensuring the people who handle equipment and materials do so safely.

In February 2024, ISO published an amendment to ISO 45001 requiring organisations to consider climate-change-related issues where relevant to occupational health and safety, keeping the standard current with emerging risks.

Who needs ISO 45001?

Any organisation with people at work, office, warehouse, logistics, repair centres, and field services can benefit from ISO 45001. The standard is built on the same high-level structure as other ISO management systems, so companies that already use ISO 9001 (quality) or ISO 14001 (environment) will find it familiar to implement.

What’s the purpose of ISO 45001?

The purpose is to prevent work-related injury and ill-health, and to provide safe and healthy workplaces. By requiring leadership commitment, worker participation, risk-based thinking, and continuous improvement, ISO 45001 turns safety from a compliance checklist into a core business process. The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) notes that using ISO 45001 can help demonstrate compliance with health and safety law, while also encouraging practices that go beyond the legal minimum.

The benefits of ISO 45001 certification

Fewer incidents and better risk control. A systematic approach to hazard identification, risk assessment and operational controls reduces accidents and ill-health over time.

Better business performance. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) links good OSH management with improved performance and profitability and highlights the economic burden of poor safety. Investing in structured OSH pays back.

Clear legal alignment:

HSE guidance recognises ISO 45001 as a route to demonstrate compliance with health and safety law when it’s appropriately implemented.

Modern risk coverage:

The 2024 amendment requires organisations to consider climate-related factors (for example, heat stress and extreme weather impacts on worksites) where relevant to OHS, and keep risk registers current.

Global credibility:

Certification bodies accredited under the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) system operate within a worldwide mutual-recognition arrangement, so an ISO 45001 certificate issued by an IAF-accredited body is recognised internationally. Partners can even validate certificates via IAF CertSearch.

Is ISO 45001 mandatory?

In most jurisdictions, it’s not mandatory. However, it helps you meet mandatory duties under national health and safety laws. Regulators emphasise that ISO 45001 should fit your risks and operations. The certification isn’t a substitute for legal obligations, but a robust framework to meet and exceed them.

How certification works

Independent certification bodies audit your management system against ISO 45001. Under IAF rules, only accreditation-backed certificates (ISO/IEC 17021-1 scope) should be relied on for international recognition. This governance ensures consistency and integrity in how audits are performed and certificates are issued, which is important for cross-border partnerships.

Why ISO 45001 matters at Circular IT group

Circular IT group operates in a sector where people work hands-on with devices, components, and materials across ITAD and buy-back services, testing, repair, refurbishment, logistics and redeployment. That means managing risks such as manual handling, electrical testing, tool use, vehicle movements, and, increasingly, climate-related factors (for example, heat exposure in warehouses).

ISO 45001 certification demonstrates to partners that we operate a living system for hazard control, worker participation, training, emergency preparedness and continuous improvement.

A signal to international partners

As we transition into a truly global player, our partners need an assurance they can trust across borders. As ISO 45001 certification is recognised under the IAF system, our certificate is verifiable and credible anywhere our partners operate. In practical terms, that means faster supplier onboarding, lower due diligence friction, and a shared language for risk management during joint projects.

Alignment with strict Dutch practices and beyond

The Netherlands is known for stringent environmental and waste-management rules; we have long operated to high standards at home. ISO 45001 adds a people-first international benchmark that travels with us into countries where rules, regulations and enforcement differ.  It proves that regardless of location, we, the Circular IT group, apply the same disciplined approach to worker safety as we do to quality and environmental performance.

The cherry on top of a high-quality process

For customers and partners, ISO 45001 is a signal that our operations are designed to reduce incidents, improve well-being and meet legal expectations. The accreditation also represents our commitment to continuous improvement. Let this certificate give you confidence that collaboration with the Circular IT group is safe, compliant, and future-ready from the Netherlands to any global hub.

Sources: 

ISO 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management systems (official standard overview) – International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). Explains the scope and intent of ISO 45001.

ISO 45001:2018/Amd 1:2024 Climate action changes. – ISO’s official notice of the 2024 amendment adding climate-change considerations to management system standards.

IAF/ISO Joint Communiqué (Feb 22, 2024) – Addition of climate-change considerations to Management Systems Standards. Clarifies how the amendment applies across audits and certifications.

HSE (UK regulator): Health and safety management systems ISO 45001 – Guidance on using ISO 45001 and its relationship to legal compliance.

HSE: Managing for health and safety (HSG65) – Regulator guidance on Plan-Do-Check-Act and integrating safety with business management (useful context for ISO 45001’s approach).

EU-OSHA: Good OSH is good for business – EU agency evidence linking strong OSH management with performance and profitability; includes research references.

IAF CertSearch (International Accreditation Forum) – Global database to verify accredited ISO certificates; outlines recognition and verification for supply chains.