ISO 50001 Certification

Achieve sustainable business practices and secure a competitive advantage with a certified energy management system.

Successful companies rely on solid management strategies and systems to regularly evaluate and sustainably increase their energy efficiency.
An energy management system (EnMS) certified according to the internationally recognized ISO 50001 standard helps companies of all sizes to meet the efficiency goals unique to their business.

About ISO 50001 Certification

With the goal of continuously improving a company's energy efficiency, ISO 50001 provides a systematic approach to establishing an energy management system. This can be implemented individually in any company, regardless of industry or size, or integrated into existing management systems. The updated version, ISO 50001:2018, facilitates this integration. During the revision, the standard adopted the unified structure for ISO management system standards (also known as the "High Level Structure," HLS), which simplifies the linking of different management systems.

Our experienced auditors will neutrally assess your energy management system in seven steps. They will support you with cross-industry experience from the initial informational discussion to recertification. Benefit from our expertise and combine your ISO 50001 audit with other management system certifications such as ISO 9001. This allows you to leverage synergies and reduce redundancies in documentation.

Procedure for ISO 50001 Certification

1. Information
Project meeting (by telephone or in person) and preparation for certification, incl. document check
2. Certification on site
Readiness analysis with assessment and review of the description of the management system, review of documented processes, and optional post-audit (review of corrective actions)
3. Audit report and evaluation
Documentation of the audit and assessment of the management system
4. Certificate and seal
After successfully completing the certification process, you will receive your certificate and the DEKRA test seal (with a maximum term of three years)
5. First surveillance audit
A surveillance audit of the practical implementation is conducted every 12 months
6. Second surveillance audit
Repeated auditing of the practical implementation of the management system
7. Recertification
Three years after initial certification, steps 2 to 6 are repeated in the recertification audit

Energy Efficiency Act (EnEfG)

The Energy Efficiency Act (EnEfG) came into force at the end of 2023 and is currently being updated as part of the amendment to the EDL-G. It brings with it important requirements for companies.

The most important facts at a glance:

Establishment of an energy/environmental management system: Companies with a total annual final energy consumption of over 7.5 GWh must set up an energy management system in accordance with DIN EN ISO 50001 or an environmental management system in accordance with EMAS by July 18, 2025 and evaluate identified measures in accordance with DIN EN 17463 (VALERI).

Implementation plans: For companies with more than 2.5 GWh, implementation plans for final energy saving measures must be drawn up and published. The economic viability of the measures must be assessed in accordance with DIN EN 17463 (VALERI).

Waste heat: Companies with an average of more than 2.5 GWh must provide information on waste heat generated. Information on waste heat generated must be submitted to the Federal Agency for Energy Efficiency (BfEE).

The BAfA monitors compliance; violations can be punished with fines. Further information can be found on the BAfA website.

Companies are responsible for checking their obligations themselves. Find out more in our article.

Your obligation to introduce and implement an energy management system in accordance with §8 EnEfG:

No deadline extension possible: companies are legally obliged to fully introduce an energy or environmental management system by 18.07.2025. The BAfA has clearly stated that there will be no extension of this deadline.
Establishment is not the same as operation: It is not enough for a company to still be in the establishment phase of the management system. The decisive factor is that certification takes place within the deadline of 18.07.2025 and that the operation of the system can therefore be proven.
Proof of complete establishment: Proof is provided exclusively via a valid ISO 50001:2018 certificate or EMAS registration. Only these two forms are considered complete implementation of the energy management system in accordance with Section 8 EnEfG.
Documentation obligation in the event of a delay: If it is not possible to introduce the energy management system in time for 18.07.2025 (e.g. due to a lack of capacity at certification bodies), companies must document this carefully and be able to prove and justify this to the BAfA. Documents relating to this must be collected, kept and submitted by the company in the event of a BAFA random sample.
Legal consequences if the deadline is missed: Companies that do not introduce the management system or do not do so on time are acting in breach of the regulations (§19 EnEfG). If the deadline is exceeded, BAFA will check whether this was negligent or intentional - a fine of 100,000 euros may be imposed.

Questions and Answer

What is ISO 50001?

ISO 50001 is a standard published in 2011 by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). With ISO 50001, an international standard for a systematic energy management system was established for the first time. It is designed to help companies identify savings potential, reduce energy consumption, and initiate a continuous energy-related improvement process.

Why is systematic energy management so important today?

Can only certain companies be certified according to ISO 50001?

What are the benefits for my company from a certified energy management system?

How does the certification of the energy management system work exactly?

How does ISO 50001 ensure continuous improvement?

Can ISO 50001 be combined with other certifications?

Important notice

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has revised its management system standards to better address climate change, encouraging companies to take appropriate actions and make sustainable improvements.

This extension applies to all ISO management system standards of type A, including ISO 50001. Certified companies must integrate climate change into their planning and consider the needs of their stakeholders. The implementation of these new requirements is immediately required and will be monitored by us as the certification body. Non-compliance may result in a non-conformity.

Do you need additional information on the new requirements regarding climate change in management systems? Contact us .

Also, read our article for more information.

Productsheet ISO 50001

Productsheet ISO 50001 (PDF, 2 MB)

Management System Certification is offered by DEKRA Certification GmbH and operates independently of all training and consultancy services offered by other DEKRA units.