PR376: EMS ISO 14001:2026 Lead Auditor
CQI and IRCA Course ID: 2853

Course Overview

This CQI and IRCA certified course teaches you to plan, conduct, report and follow up audits of environmental management systems (EMS) against ISO 14001:2026, in line with ISO 19011 and ISO/IEC 17021-1.

Duration

5 days (40 hours)

Learning Objectives

• By the end of the course, you will be able to:

  • Explain the purpose of an EMS and the benefits of better environmental performance
  • Explain the auditor’s role in planning, conducting, reporting and following up an EMS audit
  • Plan, conduct, report and follow up an EMS audit against ISO 14001:2026

Who Should Attend

• Anyone who wants to become a second-party or third-party EMS auditor
• Anyone seeking IRCA EMS Auditor or Lead Auditor certification
• Environmental, HSE and sustainability professionals
• Internal auditors and management system consultants

Prerequisites

Before starting this course, you are expected to have the following prior knowledge:

ISO 14001

• Knowledge of the requirements of ISO 14001 and the commonly used environmental management terms and definitions, which may be gained by completing a CQI and IRCA Certified ISO 14001:2026 Foundation (EMS) (FD135) training course or equivalent

Management systems

• The Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) cycle
• The core elements of a management system and the interrelationship between top management responsibility, policy, objectives, planning, implementation, measurement, review and continual improvement

Environmental management

• The intended outcomes of an environmental management system:
  • Enhancement of environmental performance
  • Meeting compliance obligations
  • Achievement of environmental objectives

Pre-Course Assessment

• Participants must successfully complete and pass the pre-course assessment before attending the training course.

What’s new in ISO 14001:2026 compared with ISO 14001:2015

ISO 14001:2026 was published on 15 April 2026. It replaces ISO 14001:2015 and its 2024 climate change amendment. Certified organizations must transition before May 2029. The main changes are:

• Context: covers a wider range of environmental conditions, such as pollution, biodiversity and the availability of natural resources, not only climate change
• Risks and opportunities: the process has been restructured and clarified
• Environmental aspects: more emphasis on the life-cycle perspective
• Planning of changes: new requirements for planning and managing changes
• Operational control: extended from “outsourced processes” to “externally provided processes, products and services”
• Guidance annex: substantially expanded

This course trains you to audit against ISO 14001:2026, including these changes. Looking for the 2015 course? See PR315: EMS ISO 14001:2015 Lead Auditor.

Delivery and Assessment

You will be assessed throughout the course through continuous assessment, including practical exercises. Full attendance (100% of the course duration) is mandatory to be eligible to sit the final examination, which you must pass to successfully complete the course. Upon successful completion, you will receive a CQI and IRCA-certified course certificate.

Why choose Guidance Consulting and Training?

At Guidance, a CQI and IRCA Approved Training Partner, we’re proud to deliver high-quality training that reflects the latest international practice. We’re committed to giving you a complete learning experience that helps you reach your career goals. You’ll gain the knowledge and tools you need to excel in environmental management.

Join us today on the ISO 14001:2026 Lead Auditor course, and take the next step in your environmental management career with Guidance Consulting and Training.