The Quarter-1-2026 issue of alphaZ OUT has now been published

alphaZ-OUT is a quarterly publication which provides an overview of new, updated and pending legislation as well as providing an Outlook on Updates and Trends for business and providers in the ISO certification sector.

As well as a comprehensive listing of new and updated legislation, provided in a table format - so details of relevant legislation can be more readily copied over to your legal register, this issue also included a number of feature articles;

Outlook

• Has 'Global Instability' been added to your Risk Register yet? - geopolitical risk, volatile trade policy and supply chain instability are now practical concerns for a much wider range of UK SMEs - and if these aren't reflected in your management system context analysis and risk register, they probably should be
• Tripped Up by Your Own Paperwork - one of the most avoidable audit findings: forms that were designed with more ambition than practicality, and what to do about it
• Companies House Identity Verification - the new requirements are in place but many directors are encountering problems with the GOV.UK One Login process; this article explains the most common issues and practical steps to take if the system won't cooperate
• Companies House WebFiling Data Breach - a security vulnerability discovered in March 2026 exposed protected director data including full dates of birth and home addresses; what happened, what was affected, and what ISO 27001-certified organisations should consider

Updates

• The Employment Rights Act 2025 – What It Means for Your Business - the first wave of changes already in force from February 2026 and the significant April 2026 changes including day-one SSP rights and the new Fair Work Agency
• ISO Standards Updates – A Busy Year Ahead for Revisions - ISO 9001:2026 projected for autumn and ISO 14001:2026 expected in the first half of 2026; what the changes mean and when transition periods apply
• Environmental Updates – Digital Waste Tracking Is Coming - October 2026 is the key date for the first wave of businesses affected by the mandatory UK-wide Digital Waste Tracking Service
• Health and Safety Updates – Work-Related Stress - the HSE is now actively enforcing, with a Notice of Contravention served on the University of Birmingham as a clear signal of intent
• Martyn's Law – Are Your Premises in Scope? - the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 and what organisations need to know to prepare ahead of the April 2027 implementation date
• alphaZ document update summary including new premises audit checklist, behavioural management policy, harassment risk form and RPE inspection form

Trends

• ISO 27001 Audits – Cloud Computing is now a serious audit focus - Annex A 5.23 is fully in play following the October 2025 transition deadline; what auditors are asking for and how to prepare
• Employment Rights Act 2025 – Implications for ISO 45001 and HR Compliance Audits - why now is a good time to review your H&S policy, staff handbook and relevant risk assessments

UK Legislation Updates

• Upcoming / pending UK legislation - overview of bills and pending legislation including the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill and AI (Regulation) Bill 
• New and Updated UK legislation - all applicable legislation enacted in the last 12 months
• Other Relevant Legislation / Regulations - details of other legislation (non-UK) or regulations that have changed

Enforcement Data

• Recent fines and enforcement action from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE)
• Overview of action taken and fines issued by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
• Overview of action taken and fines issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)
• Overview of action and fines from the Environment Agency (EA) and Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) - including the £733k fine for Yorkshire Water and arrests in a £6m packaging fraud investigation

Other News

• Government set to pay companies £3,000 to hire young people aged 18–24
• Plastic packaging tax increase from 1 April 2026
• Company insolvency levels remain elevated - construction sector hardest hit
• AI-driven job cuts spreading beyond the tech sector
• Oracle cuts up to 30,000 jobs in a single morning to fund AI buildout
• London councils hit by cyber attack affecting thousands of residents

alphaZ-OUT is emailed to all update service subscribers and can also be downloaded from the alphaZ subscribers area

For access to all alphaZ Documents, including the subscriber area which features sample data files such as registers, audits, risk assessments and a full sample UK legal register as well as monthly health and safety updates and quarterly issues of alphaZ OUT – purchase a subscription today.