November 2025: New Environment and Safety Standards Transform Risk and Sustainability Practices

Professionals in environmental health, safety, and sustainability are set to benefit from a series of significant new international standards released in November 2025. This edition, part two in our five-part series, offers detailed coverage on five standards advancing best practices in anthropometric design, wood product emissions, organizational greenhouse gas reporting, and electrical energy storage planning. These standards deliver essential tools for managing compliance, improving risk management, and enabling innovation across diverse sectors.

Overview: Raising the Bar for Environmental and Safety Performance

The Environment, Health Protection, and Safety sector faces continuous evolution in regulatory expectations and industry best practices. As organizations worldwide strive for safer workplaces, sustainable products, and robust environmental reporting, international standards play a foundational role. This article summarizes the latest November 2025 updates, providing actionable guidance and direct access to new benchmarks in safety, emissions, analytics, and sustainability. Readers will gain:

• A broad perspective on key technical content from new and updated standards
• Practical guidance for implementation and compliance
• Insights into the impact of these standards on day-to-day operations and strategic planning

Detailed Standards Coverage

ISO/TR 5716:2025 – Multivariate Analysis Using Anthropometric Data and a Virtual Fit Tool

Multivariate analysis using anthropometric data and a virtual fit tool

ISO/TR 5716:2025 brings forward best practices in the application of multivariate anthropometric data analysis, offering comprehensive guidance for product, task, and environment design that suits diverse user populations. Unlike univariate approaches—which treat each body dimension in isolation—this standard addresses the need to consider multiple correlated user attributes simultaneously. By leveraging Virtual Fit Testing (VFT) and statistical modeling, designers can determine optimal dimensions for inclusivity, safety, and comfort, accommodating the realities of an increasingly globalized and diverse workforce.

Key users include ergonomists, product designers, workplace safety specialists, and industrial engineers seeking to optimize fit, reduce risk of exclusion, and adhere to modern human-centered design principles.

Notable changes include the inclusion of robust multivariate tools and virtual testing methodologies, which are a leap beyond percentile-based, one-variable-at-a-time design. The standard provides examples, best practices, and guidance on required databases.

Key highlights:

• Promotes simultaneous consideration of multiple user attributes
• Details best practices for virtual fit tests (VFT)
• Enhances accommodation accuracy over traditional univariate methods

Access the full standard:View ISO/TR 5716:2025 on iTeh Standards

EN 16663:2025 – Biological Durability of Wood and Wood-based Products: Emissions Determination – Use Class 3

Biological durability of wood and wood-based products – Determination of emissions from preservative treated wood to the environment – Wooden commodities exposed in Use Class 3 (Not covered, not in contact with the ground) – Semi-field method

EN 16663:2025 offers a critically updated method for evaluating the environmental emissions of preservative-treated wood products in outdoor, above-ground (Use Class 3) applications. The standard provides a rigorous semi-field methodology to assess leaching of biocidal compounds—vital for meeting regulatory requirements like the EU Biocidal Products Regulation and supporting robust environmental risk assessments.

It covers test set-up, specimen preparation, collection and chemical analysis of leachates, and reporting requirements. This standard is essential for chemical suppliers, timber treaters, construction professionals, and any organization managing wooden façades or outdoor structures. The revision supersedes CEN/TS 16663:2016, integrating more detailed emission quantification and updated risk assessment procedures.

Key highlights:

• Semi-field method replicates real-world outdoor exposure
• Supports compliance with EU environmental and chemical safety regulations
• Allows for testing coated/uncoated and experimental/standard preservatives

Access the full standard:View EN 16663:2025 on iTeh Standards

ISO/TS 14064-4:2025 – Greenhouse Gases: Guidance for ISO 14064-1 Application

Greenhouse gases – Part 4: Guidance for the application of ISO 14064-1

ISO/TS 14064-4:2025 extends the ISO 14064 family by offering structured guidance for organizations in quantifying and reporting both direct and indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as required by ISO 14064-1. The specification addresses the full process: establishing boundaries, identifying relevant GHG sources and sinks, selecting quantification methods, documenting uncertainties, and preparing transparent disclosures for stakeholders and regulators.

It provides not only practical steps for setting organizational and reporting boundaries (including control and equity share approaches) but also methodologies for inventory consolidation, emission factor selection, and maintaining records for verification and audit purposes. The new edition aligns more closely with leading protocols (GHG Protocol, IPCC guidelines) and enhances the clarity and robustness required for third-party validation and climate reporting.

Key audiences include sustainability managers, compliance and ESG teams, auditors, and organizational leaders seeking alignment with global best practices and regulatory requirements.

Key highlights:

• Stepwise guidance on GHG inventory and reporting boundaries
• Case studies and illustrative examples for diverse organizational structures
• Strengthened alignment with international climate disclosure frameworks

Access the full standard:View ISO/TS 14064-4:2025 on iTeh Standards

IEC 62933-3-1:2025 – Electrical Energy Storage (EES) Systems: Planning and Performance Assessment

Electrical energy storage (EES) systems – Part 3-1: Planning and performance assessment of electrical energy storage systems – General specification

With the global surge in distributed energy and demand-side management, IEC 62933-3-1:2025 becomes critical for every stakeholder working with electrical energy storage (EES) for grid-connected applications. The standard comprehensively addresses planning, sizing, design, and performance evaluation of EES systems—including requirements for system control, monitoring, commissioning, maintenance, and end-of-life decommissioning.

It covers all major stakeholders: planners, owners, operators, suppliers, constructors, and aggregators of EES technology for indoor/outdoor grid use. Key sections include subsystem architecture (accumulation, conversion, control, auxiliary), energy and power ratings, efficiency, operational parameters, and guidance for integrating with local regulations and grid codes. Procedural checklists for acceptance testing (FAT/SAT), site commissioning, and performance monitoring support safe, reliable, and efficient system operation throughout the lifecycle.

Key highlights:

• Comprehensive specifications for EES systems' functional and performance requirements
• Detailed process flow from planning and design to operation and decommissioning
• Stakeholder-specific obligations and system integration best practices

Access the full standard:View IEC 62933-3-1:2025 on iTeh Standards

Industry Impact & Compliance

The November 2025 standards release represents a significant shift for organizations committed to environmental stewardship, occupational safety, and operational excellence.

How These Standards Affect Businesses

• Broader Scope & Depth: Moving from traditional single-factor or prescriptive approaches to integrated, multivariate—and often digitalized—methods for analysis, measurement, and reporting.
• Enhanced Risk Management: Improved tools for managing user accommodation (ISO/TR 5716), environmental impacts from materials (EN 16663), and GHG inventories (ISO/TS 14064-4) drive more reliable risk assessment and mitigation strategies.
• Future-Proofing: Adoption supports alignment with emerging global regulations, client expectations, and sustainability certifications.

Compliance Considerations and Timelines

• Many standards will drive immediate changes to documentation, testing routines, and disclosure policies. For example, EN 16663 requires companies to validate timber treatments using the new semi-field method, while ISO/TS 14064-4 demands enhanced GHG supply chain tracking.
• Implementation timeframes vary by industry; early review and adaptation are recommended to maintain compliance.

Benefits of Adoption

• Demonstrated regulatory adherence and competitive differentiation
• Reduction in liability and reputational risk
• Access to international markets and green investment opportunities

Risks of Non-Compliance

• Fines, project delays, or market exclusion
• Legal or insurer scrutiny in the event of incidents or audit failures

Technical Insights

Common Technical Requirements

• Integration of digital/virtual tools for simulation and analysis (e.g., VFT in ergonomics; data-driven quantification for GHG emissions)
• Detailed procedures for sample preparation, measurement, and data collection
• Lifecycle approach for assessment, including planning, operation, and decommissioning

Implementation Best Practices

1. Gap Analysis: Conduct an in-depth review of current practices against standard requirements.
2. Training: Equip teams with necessary skills in digital tools, new test protocols, and GHG quantification methods.
3. Documentation: Maintain rigorous, transparent record-keeping in line with ISO/TS 14064-4 for audits and verification.
4. Pilot Projects: Implement new standards in selected projects before full organizational rollout.

Testing and Certification Considerations

• Ensure laboratory and field testing align with new quality and performance benchmarks.
• Engage third-party certification as needed for compliance statements or product labeling.
• Periodically review and update testing methods to anticipate further standard revisions.

Conclusion / Next Steps

The November 2025 publication of these Environment, Health Protection, and Safety standards ushers in a new era of technical rigor, transparency, and user-centered design for modern organizations. Whether updating anthropometric tools, quantifying environmental emissions, managing greenhouse gases, or deploying next-generation energy storage, proactive engagement with these standards is essential.

Key takeaways:

• Standards are more integrated and data-driven, requiring multi-disciplinary team collaboration.
• Early adoption and compliance will deliver operational, reputational, and financial benefits.
• Regularly monitor iTeh Standards for updates, guidance, and emerging best practices.

Next steps:

• Review each standard in detail via the provided iTeh links.
• Plan organization-wide dissemination and training.
• Stay engaged with upcoming Parts 3–5 for a complete overview of November’s Environment, Health Protection, and Safety standards.

Stay proactive—integrate these standards into your compliance framework today to drive excellence and resilience in the evolving landscape of environmental and safety management.