Annex SL is a part of the ISO directives that specifies how to write Management System Standards

(MSS) such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. Before 2012, various MSS were written in different ways.
Several attempts have been made since the late 90s to harmonize the way to write but the first
group that succeeded to reach an agreement was the Joint Technical Coordination Group (JTCG) set
up by ISO/TMB.

According to Annex SL, a MSS should follow the structure:

1. Scope

2. Normative references

3. Terms and definitions

4. Context of the organisation

5. Leadership

6. Planning

7. Support

8. Operation

9. Performance evaluation

10. Improvement

MSS (Type A) following Annex SL[edit]

 ISO 9001:2015, Quality management systems - Requirements

 ISO 14001:2015, Environment management systems – Requirements with guidance for use

 ISO 18788:2015, Management system for private security services – Requirements with
guidance

 ISO 20121:2012, Event sustainability management systems – Requirements with guidance

for use

 ISO 22301:2012, Societal security – Business continuity management systems –

Requirements

 ISO/IEC 27001:2013, Information technology – Security techniques – Information security

management systems – Requirements

 ISO 30301:2011, Information and documentation – Management systems for records –

Requirements
  ISO 39001:2013, Road-traffic safety (RTS) management systems – Requirements with
guidance for use

 ISO 55001:2013, Asset management – Requirements

MSS (Type A) not yet revised in accordance with Annex SL[edit]

 ISO/IEC 20000-1:2011, Information technology – Service management – Part 1 : Service

management system requirements (under revision)

 ISO 22000:2005, Food safety management systems – Requirements for any organization in
the food chain (under revision)

 ISO 28000:2007, Specification for security management systems for the supply chain

 ISO 30000:2009, Ships and marine technology – Ship recycling management systems –
Specifications for management systems for safe and environmentally sound ship recycling
facilities

 ISO 50001:2011, Energy management systems – Requirements with guidance for use (under
revision)

MSS (Type A) under development[edit]

 ISO 21001, Educational organization management systems - Requirements with guidance for
use

 ISO 24562, Water efficiency management systems - Requirements with guidance for use

 ISO 30401, Human resource management - Knowledge management systems -

Requirements

 ISO 34001, Security and resilience - Security management systems - Fraud countermeasures
and control

 ISO 37001, Anti-bribery management systems

 ISO 45001, Occupational health and safety management systems - Requirements with
guidance for use
Annex SL: What’s It All About?

POSTED BY BRIAN REECE ON MAY 13, 2015 IN RESOURCES | 2,158 VIEWS | 4 RESPONSES

Annex SL gets a lot of mention in connection with the in-progress revisions of ISO 9001, ISO 14001,
and other ISO standards. But what is Annex SL and why is it so important?

Annex SL: Origins

Annex SL grew out of what was previously known as ISO Guide 83. Most organizations have more
than one management system, and many expressed frustration at the extra time and resources that
it took to implement and certify their various management systems with differing structures,
definitions, and requirements. ISO Guide 83, which was adopted in 2011, was the first formal effort
to create consistency in structure and terminology across ISO management systems standards.

Annex SL: A common structure

Annex SL is a high-level structure created by ISO to provide a universal high-level structure, identical
core text, and common terms and definitions for all management system standards. It was designed
to make it easier for organizations that have to comply with more than one management system
standard.

The core text on Annex SL has ten high-level clauses:

1. Scope: The scope defines the intended outcomes of the management system. The outcomes
are industry-specific and should be aligned with the context of the organization (clause 4).

2. Normative references: Provides details of the reference standards or publications relevant to

the particular standard. For ISO 9001:2015, the normative reference is ISO 9000:2015. (See
related article here.)

3. Terms and definitions (subdivided into three parts): high-level structure, identical core text,
and common terms and core definitions

4. Context of the organization: Clause 4 consists of four subclauses:

4.1 Understanding the organization and its context
4.2 Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties
4.3 Determining the scope of the managements system
4.4 The management system

5. Leadership: Clause 5 comprises three subclauses:

5.1 Leadership and commitment
5.2 Policy
5.3 Organizational roles, responsibilities and authorities

6. Planning: Clause 6 includes two subclauses:

6.1 Actions to address risks and opportunities
6.2 Management system objectives and planning to achieve them
 7. Support: Clause 7 consists of five subclauses:
7.1 Resources
7.2 Competence
7.3 Awareness
7.4 Communication
7.5 Documented information

8. Operation: Clause 8 has one subclause:

8.1 Operational planning and control

9. Performance evaluation: Clause 9 is formed of three subclauses:

9.1 Monitoring, measurement, analysis and evaluation
9.2 Internal audit
9.3 Management review

10. Improvement: Clause 10 looks at how nonconformities and corrective actions should be

managed. It includes two subclauses:
10.1 Nonconformity and corrective action
10.2 Continual improvement

Annex SL has a total of 45 “shall” statements resulting in 84 requirements.

In addition to the overall structural framework, requirements for individual sectors have been
added.

Which standard revisions are using Annex SL?

All new ISO management system standards will use Annex SL as the template for their structures. As
ISO management system standards come up for revision, they will all be brought in line with Annex
SL as well. Existing and upcoming standards based on the Annex SL structure include:

 ISO 9001:2015, Quality management systems

 ISO 14001: 2015, Environmental management systems

 ISO/TS 16959:2016, Automotive quality management systems (will be based on ISO

9001:2015)

 AS9100C:2016, Aerospace quality management systems (will be based on ISO 9001:2015)

 ISO/IEC 27001, Information technology: Security techniques, Information security

management systems

 ISO 30301:2011, Information and documentation: Management systems for records

 ISO 22301:2012, Societal security: Business continuity management systems

 ISO 20121:2012, Event sustainability management systems

 ISO 39001, Road-traffic safety (RTS) management systems

  ISO 55001, Asset management

Annex SL: What’s in a name?

A frequent question that pops up asks what the “SL” stands for in Annex SL. But SL is not an
acronym–it’s merely a part of ISO’s numbering scheme.