Clause 7.5clarifiedLow impact typical effort 2-4 hours
Documentation requirements clarified — what to document vs evidence
What changed in the 2026 revision
The 2026 revision clarifies throughout the standard what shall be documented (maintained as documented information) versus what shall be available as evidence of implementation. This distinction helps organisations understand minimum documentation requirements.
What auditors will look for
Review your documentation to ensure you distinguish between 'documented information' (procedures, policies, plans) and 'evidence of implementation' (records, results, evidence). This is a clarification, not a new requirement — but it helps ensure you are documenting the right things.
How to close the gap
- 1Create a documentation matrix mapping each clause to required documents vs evidence
- 2Ensure document control procedures cover both types
- 3Review adequacy of current documentation against the clarified requirements
Does your documentation meet this requirement?
Free scan checks this and the other 40 tracked changes against your actual EMS documents.
More changes in Clause 7
7 — Terminology standardised across documentation…7.4 — Communication must empower employee contribut…7.4 — Two-way feedback and reporting mechanisms7.5 — Documented information terminology alignment7.1 — Resources — determined and provided for EMS o…7.2 — Competence — training, education and experien…
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