On this page
- What the requirement is, and why it exists
- Linking SEU Identification to Competence and Awareness Criteria
- Auditing Competence Evaluation and Contractor Integration
- Example
- Verifying Awareness Requirements and Behavioural Impact
- Before your audit
- Questions people ask
- Does ISO 50001 require formal classroom training for all employees?
- How do auditors evaluate the effectiveness of training actions under Clause 7.2 c)?
- Are third-party contractors subject to Clause 7.2 competence requirements?
- What is the difference between competence under Clause 7.2 and awareness under Clause 7.3?
- Reference documents
The short version
- Clause 6.3 c) 3) requires identifying all personnel whose work influences or affects significant energy uses.
- Clause 7.2 mandates determining necessary competence and evaluating the effectiveness of actions taken to acquire skill.
- Clause 7.3 requires ensuring personnel understand energy policy, performance impacts, and implications of nonconformity.
- Internal auditors must verify documented evidence of competence for employees, service contractors, and temporary staff.
What the requirement is, and why it exists
BS EN ISO 50001:2018 establishes that technological solutions and operational controls cannot achieve energy performance improvement without competent, aware personnel. Clause 7.2 mandates that the organisation shall determine the necessary competence of persons doing work under its control that affects its energy performance and energy management system. Furthermore, Clause 7.3 requires that all personnel working under organizational control understand the energy policy, their contribution to system effectiveness, and the operational impacts of their behaviour.
This requirement exists because human decisions directly govern energy consumption across equipment, processes, and systems. Untrained boiler operators, unmonitored maintenance contractors, or unaware facility engineers can unintentionally bypass operational criteria established under Clause 8.1, causing significant energy performance deviations. Clause 6.3 c) 3) explicitly connects energy review outputs to personnel management by requiring the organisation to identify every person doing work under its control that influences or affects significant energy uses.
The scope of Clauses 7.2 and 7.3 applies to all personnel whose work affects energy performance, regardless of employment status. As clarified in Annex A.3 and Annex A.6.3, persons doing work under organizational control include full-time employees, part-time staff, temporary workers, and third-party service contractors. Quality managers, compliance leads, and internal auditors must ensure that competence and awareness frameworks encompass both internal staff and outsourced contractors who operate, maintain, or service significant energy uses.
Linking SEU Identification to Competence and Awareness Criteria
Translating energy planning outputs into operational personnel management requires a structured methodology. Clause 3.4.12 defines competence as the ability to apply knowledge and skills to achieve intended results. Under Clause 7.2 b), the organisation must ensure that personnel are competent based on appropriate education, training, skills, or experience. Organisations follow a mandatory five-step procedure to link energy planning directly to skill verification.
- Review the energy review outputs compiled under Clause 6.3 c) 3) to identify all internal roles, contractors, and temporary staff influencing significant energy uses.
- Establish explicit competence criteria for each identified role under Clause 7.2 a), specifying required technical qualifications, operational skills, experience levels, or certifications.
- Conduct gap evaluations comparing existing personnel qualifications against established competence criteria to identify training or skill deficits.
- Execute tailored actions under Clause 7.2 c) to acquire necessary competence, such as delivering targeted training, establishing mentoring programmes, reassigning duties, or hiring qualified contractors.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of actions taken under Clause 7.2 c) to confirm that training or skill acquisition successfully improved operational performance and delivered intended outcomes.
Common finding: Internal auditors frequently issue nonconformities when organisations maintain attendance logs for training sessions but fail to evaluate whether the training effectively achieved necessary competence under Clause 7.2 c).
Important: Annex A.7.2 notes that competence requirements must be appropriate to the function, level, and role of persons doing work, including top management members who allocate resources and direct strategy under Clause 5.1.
Note: Under Clause 7.2 d), the organisation must retain appropriate documented information as evidence of competence, including training records, educational diplomas, skill assessments, and contractor qualification files.
Auditing Competence Evaluation and Contractor Integration
Internal auditors must verify that competence and awareness evaluations cover all operational areas containing significant energy uses. The audit process requires inspecting documented competence criteria, training effectiveness records, awareness communication logs, and contractor agreements. The table below outlines specific audit checks and required evidence across mandatory clauses.
| Requirement | What the auditor checks | Evidence to have ready |
|---|---|---|
| Clause 7.2 a) Competence Determination | Verification that defined competence criteria exist for all roles influencing significant energy uses identified under Clause 6.3 c) 3) | Role descriptions, competence matrices, technical qualification frameworks, and SEU staffing lists |
| Clause 7.2 b) Skill Verification | Inspection of records demonstrating that employees and contractors meet established education, training, skill, or experience benchmarks | Educational certificates, trade licenses, professional accreditations, and verified resume files |
| Clause 7.2 c) Action Effectiveness | Evaluation of methods used to verify that training or competency actions successfully achieved required operational capabilities | Post-training assessment records, operational skill evaluations, re-audit results, and performance logs |
| Clause 7.3 System Awareness | Interviewing personnel to confirm understanding of energy policy, SEU operational impacts, targets, and nonconformity implications | Internal communication logs, toolbox talk records, employee interview notes, and site induction slips |
Example
During an internal audit of a chemical manufacturing plant, an auditor inspects the industrial refrigeration plant, which is designated as a significant energy use under Clause 6.3 b). The auditor reviews shift logs and observes that a third-party contractor performs routine compressor maintenance and set-point adjustments. The auditor requests the contractor competence file required under Clause 7.2 d) and discovers that while the service contract is active, the site lacks documented evidence of the contractor's technical qualifications or training effectiveness evaluations. The auditor raises a nonconformity under Clause 7.2 b) and Clause 7.2 d) for failing to verify and retain documented evidence of competence for personnel operating a significant energy use.
Verifying Awareness Requirements and Behavioural Impact
Clause 7.3 establishes specific awareness requirements that extend beyond technical competence. Persons doing work under the organisation's control must be aware of the energy policy established under Clause 5.2, their individual contribution to system effectiveness, and the benefits of improved energy performance. Furthermore, Clause 7.3 c) mandates that personnel must understand the direct impact of their daily activities and behaviour on energy performance, while Clause 7.3 d) requires understanding the implications of failing to conform with energy management system requirements.
Auditing awareness relies primarily on direct interviews with operational personnel across facilities, control rooms, maintenance shops, and administrative offices. Internal auditors should ask open-ended questions to evaluate whether workers understand how their routine tasks affect energy consumption. For instance, auditors should check whether air compressor operators understand how pressure settings influence power consumption, or whether office staff understand how operating schedules affect HVAC energy baselines.
In addition to individual interviews, auditors must inspect communication channels established under Clause 7.4. Clause 7.4 requires determining internal and external communications relevant to the energy management system, including what, when, with whom, and how to communicate. Clause 7.4 also requires establishing a process where workers can suggest improvements to energy performance. Auditors must verify that employee suggestions regarding energy efficiency are systematically collected, evaluated, and considered during management reviews under Clause 9.3.2 d).
Before your audit
- Cross-reference the Clause 6.3 c) 3) list of personnel affecting significant energy uses against HR and contractor rosters.
- Confirm that documented competence criteria exist under Clause 7.2 a) for every internal role and contractor position affecting energy performance.
- Inspect retained documented information under Clause 7.2 d) to ensure certificates, licenses, and training records are current and complete.
- Check that training records include documented evaluations of effectiveness under Clause 7.2 c) rather than simple sign-in sheets.
- Review contractor service agreements to verify that third-party staff undergo site energy inductions and meet required skill standards.
- Verify that internal awareness campaigns under Clause 7.3 cover the energy policy, energy targets, behavioural impacts, and nonconformity risks.
- Inspect records of worker suggestions submitted under Clause 7.4 to confirm that improvement ideas are evaluated and processed.
Questions people ask
Does ISO 50001 require formal classroom training for all employees?
No, Clause 7.2 b) permits demonstrating competence through appropriate education, training, skills, or experience. Annex A.7.2 notes that training is only one of several methods to achieve competency, alongside mentoring, job shadowing, reassigning duties, or hiring qualified personnel.
How do auditors evaluate the effectiveness of training actions under Clause 7.2 c)?
Auditors review documented evaluations conducted after training, such as practical skill demonstrations, written tests, post-training operational audits, or observed reductions in operational deviations. A simple sign-in sheet proves attendance, but does not prove training effectiveness under Clause 7.2 c).
Are third-party contractors subject to Clause 7.2 competence requirements?
Yes, Clause 7.2 applies to all persons doing work under the organisation's control that affects energy performance. As defined in Annex A.3 and Annex A.6.3, this includes service contractors, temporary staff, and outsourced personnel who operate or maintain significant energy uses.
What is the difference between competence under Clause 7.2 and awareness under Clause 7.3?
Clause 7.2 focuses on technical capability, knowledge, and skills required to perform work that affects energy performance. Clause 7.3 focuses on understanding the energy policy, individual behavioural impacts on energy consumption, benefits of efficiency, and consequences of system nonconformity.
Reference documents
- BS EN ISO 50001:2018 - Energy management systems - Requirements with guidance for use
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