A half-year update from Little Green Consulting
It has been a full and significant first half of 2026. Busy in the way that matters: real work, real clients, and real life happening alongside all of it.
We do not write posts like this very often. Our blog is usually home to the practical things: guides on ISO 14001 compliance, walkthroughs of what happens during an environmental audit, and answers to the questions UK businesses are genuinely searching for. But every now and then, it is worth stepping back from the technical and sharing something of the human side of this business.
So here is our half-year update.
The ISO changes keeping us busy
If you hold certification to an ISO management standard, or you are working towards it, you will know that things are moving.
ISO 14001:2026 has now been published. This is the revised Environmental Management System standard, and it comes with a three-year transition window for certified organisations to update their systems. The changes are not a wholesale overhaul. It is better to think of it as a sharpening rather than a rebuild. The revisions bring greater emphasis on climate change integration, a stronger life-cycle perspective, and better alignment with the Harmonised Structure shared by ISO 9001 and ISO 45001.
ISO 9001:2026, the Quality Management standard, is also progressing through its revision, with publication expected later in 2026. Again, the foundations are not being scrapped. The direction of travel is towards clearer risk management, a stronger quality culture, and improved integration with other management systems.
For businesses running an Integrated Management System across multiple standards, this is good news. The continued alignment between these standards means that when transitions come, they can be managed together rather than separately.
If you are unsure where your current system stands in relation to the new requirements, a gap analysis now, well ahead of the transition deadlines, is the sensible move. Get in touch and we can talk through where you stand.
The end of an era: Kit hangs up his captain position
Outside of the office, a significant chapter closed earlier this year.
After approximately ten years as captain of the Little Green Men, Kit led the team out for the final time. For those unfamiliar with the sport, Harrow football is a field sport, a kind of football and rugby hybrid, created and played exclusively by Harrow School since 1858. Traditionally an eleven-a-side game, the Little Green Men took to the pitch with twenty players on the day, made up of old Harrovians, parents, and sons of old Harrovians who got stuck in and more than held their own.
The final match was against the Harrow Outcasts. It was, by every account, a properly muddy affair. The Little Green Men won 4-3, a result that felt entirely right for the occasion.
Muddy boots were swapped for ties that evening at the Harrow Football Dinner, where the team sang, celebrated, and were treated to an impromptu rendition of the Italian National Anthem from a player who had travelled from Italy especially to be there. At the close of the evening, one of the Harrow Masters stood to speak. He had been a Master at Harrow for twenty years, a Housemaster and Head of Subject. He said that one of the greatest experiences and pleasures of those twenty years had been playing for the Little Green Men.
That is quite a legacy to leave. Over ten years, Kit saw more wins and draws than losses, led two tours, one to East Anglia and one to Melrose in Scotland, and had a lot of fun in the process.
A new chapter: welcome to the team, Jude
On a happy note for the future, 2026 has officially brought a new face into the Little Green family.
Jude DeSouza joined us last June as a consultant, and we feel very fortunate to have him as part of the team as we continue shaping the future of this industry. He hit the ground running from day one: already delivering training on-site, including bespoke harness training for Muntons PLC, and building client relationships with the kind of confidence that takes some people years to develop.
He is already a qualified ISO 14001 Lead Auditor and is now working towards his ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 Lead Auditor qualifications. His goal is to expand his expertise across multiple ISO systems and provide consultancy across quality, health and safety, and environmental areas.
In his own words:
“I love working for a small, independent company and being able to interact with a wide variety of clients. I also hope to get the chance to work with more international clients across Europe.”
Jude DeSouza, Consultant, Little Green Consulting
Outside of work, Jude is a committed outdoor sports enthusiast, from fishing to climbing.
We are excited to see him grow, and we are glad he is ours.
Remembering Kathryn
Many of you will know that our co-founder, Kathryn Wells, passed away in 2025. Kathryn was not simply part of this business. She was, in many ways, its heart. The values that run through everything we do at Little Green Consulting carry her legacy.
On Sunday 19th April, on the six-month anniversary of losing her, Kit and the family placed a memorial bench in her honour along her and Kit’s favourite dog walk in Gislingham. The family gathered at the bench at 10:15 and marked the occasion in the way Kathryn would have loved: with tea, prosecco, and, of course, Battenberg. The weather was kind, and by all accounts it was a truly perfect morning to sit, reflect, and remember who she was.
The bench looks out across beautiful countryside and over much of the village of Gislingham. It is a quietly perfect tribute.
As Kit has said since:
“Dog walks are now taking much longer if I go there. It is a lovely spot to sit, remember, and reflect.”
Kit Wells, Director, Little Green Consulting
Auditing, auditing, auditing
Alongside everything else, the core work has not stopped for a moment.
With the ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 revisions now in motion, our audit services have been in high demand. Kit and the team have been travelling the length and breadth of the UK carrying out audits for clients who want to understand where their systems stand before the transition deadlines arrive.
Auditing is essential work. It is the point at which everything a business claims about its environmental and quality management is tested against reality. After many years of doing this across the UK, we know the difference between a system that looks good on paper and one that genuinely functions. That gap matters, and finding it before an external auditor does is always the better outcome.
If you are due an internal audit, or if you are uncertain whether your current system is ready for the coming changes, we can help.
What the second half of 2026 looks like
The ISO 14001 transition work will intensify as organisations begin acting on the published standard. ISO 9001:2026 publication is expected later in the year, and preparation work for that is already underway with a number of our clients. We expect both to keep us fully occupied through to December.
We are also continuing to grow our training provision, particularly with Jude now firmly established in the team, and we are always open to conversations about what that might look like for your organisation.
If 2026 has taught us anything so far, it is that the businesses that prepare ahead of change do considerably better than those who wait and react. We would rather help you be in the first group.
If you want to talk through the ISO changes and what they mean for your business, call us on 01379 783918 or email lgcl@littlegreenconsulting.com. We are always happy to help.
We help UK businesses implement and maintain ISO management systems. Get in touch to find out how we can help.
