Spotlight on New Climate Considerations in ISO Standards
22 Nov 2024
Following the revision of ISO Standards to incorporate climate change considerations, we look at which standards are impacted, clause updates, and uncover what this means for ISO certified companies.
Introduction
In February 2024, ISO published an amendment to all existing Management System Standards. Included in its text now is the requirement for an organization “shall”, (which means must) consider climate change and the risks associated with climate change to their own organization, and how this may affect its ability to achieve the intended outcomes of its management system.
The requirement is in clause 4.1, consistent with the London Declaration on Climate Change. It's a clarification that an organization must now consider climate change as part of its context.
Which standards are being impacted by this change?
Climate considerations have been added to all ISO standards. Because of the high-level common structure - Annex XL - any changes or any new ISO management system standards will be included in that structure and so it's effective of every ISO management system - ISO 9001,14001,45001,27001 etc.
Obviously, it will have different meanings and different relevance to each of those standards. So, if we look at quality, climate change must be considered as part of the context for a quality management system. So how does climate change affect their business? Well, that could be from the product produced, packaging, emissions, etc and so it covers a lot of aspects companies are likely already considering.
Whereas if we're talking about ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety, how might climate change affect an organization's ability to keep people safe? If you have a commitment on climate change to reduce your packaging, for example, is that going to affect where you buy your PPE from? So it's in the context of the organization, but it's also in the context of the specific ISO standard.
Which clauses are affected?
The requirement sits in Clause 4.1 so, where it says the organization ‘shall determine the external and internal issues that are relevant to its organization and relevant to its management system or intended outcome of its management system’, it now explicitly includes the statement: ‘the organization shall determine whether climate change is a relevant issue’.
In Clause 4.2 – ‘Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties’, where it states organizations ‘shall determine those interested parties’, there is now an extra requirement that says, ‘interested parties that may have then a requirement relevant to climate change.’
What we can't forget is that these two clauses, like any clause in an ISO standard, do not sit alone.
Another key clause is 4.3 – ‘scope of the management system’ which says ‘when we define the scope of the management system, we need to think about the internal external issues identified in 4.1, the ‘needs and expectations of the interested parties’ and determined in 4.2 when we define the scope.
And then when we get into section 6, particularly 6.1.1, when we define risks and opportunities, it says go back to your 4.1 and go back to your 4.2 and decide whether that becomes a risk or an opportunity for your business.
So, climate change is going to be quite high up most organizations' risks or opportunities. Going back to basics, risk is an uncertainty. Well, there's a lot of uncertainty about climate change, but also opportunities. Something you’re going to choose to do to drive some improvement, therefore climate change may well be a good opportunity for organizations to look at new technologies or produce new products.
How will companies already ISO certified be impacted?
Because it’s a ‘shall’, then we need to make sure that we understand the ‘shall’ is we ‘must’ do this, but it is a ‘consider’. If you can demonstrate you have considered it, then you meet the requirements of 4.1 and 4.2.
Will there be a transition period and what will the external Auditor be looking for?
There is no time scale for a transition like there is if there's a big change to a standard, but because it's an inclusion now, then external auditors will be looking at how climate change has been ‘considered’. For most organizations, climate considerations are already being considered anyway, before the ISO update.
It’s important to look at one of the requests in 4.1 which a lot of organizations tend to forget, that says ‘we will monitor and review the changes to the internal external issues. ‘
The auditor will be looking at any internal external issues and how those changes and those considerations lead into 6.1; how they have determined where this becomes a risk or an opportunity for the organization.
Conclusion
Incorporating climate considerations into ISO standards is crucial because it ensures that businesses adopt sustainable practices, enhancing their resilience to climate impacts and contributing to global environmental protection efforts.
Most organizations won’t need to change anything, they will already be considering climate change actions, but your external auditor will be looking for evidence that you have considered it.
MORE INFORMATION
ISO Management Systems Certification
Podcast: Spotlight on the new climate change considerations in ISO Standards
