Navigating climate change: updates to ISO certification standards

With the amendment to ISO 9001:2015 published on 23 February 2024, your organization is now tasked with evaluating whether climate change is a relevant issue within the context of your quality management systems (QMS) and your intended outcomes.

The introduction of the Climate Action Amendments by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) represents a significant step towards integrating climate considerations into global business practices.

What is it?

The update underscores ISO's commitment to addressing climate change and enhancing organizational management systems to effectively tackle the global challenge.

The essence and intent of these amendments stem from ISO's London Declaration on Climate Change. The focus is on embedding climate change awareness and action within organizational management systems to improve their effectiveness in achieving intended outcomes.

This entails adding new statements to existing and forthcoming ISO Management Systems Standards (MSS), emphasizing the importance of addressing climate change impacts within organizational practices and policies.

Key aspects of the 2024 climate change amendments include:

Integration into management systems

The aim is to make climate change considerations an integral part of management systems, guiding organizational practices and policies from the core.

Enhancing organizational resilience

By addressing climate change impacts within the management system's scope, the amendments seek to enhance organizational resilience and adaptability to climate-related risks.

Assessment of risks

Organizations are encouraged to assess climate-related risks and integrate them into their strategic objectives and risk mitigation efforts.

What's changing?

Specific changes have been made to Clauses 4.1 and 4.2 of the current Annex SL standards.

4.1 Understanding the organization and its context

"The organization shall determine external and internal issues that are relevant to its purpose and that affect its ability to achieve the intended result(s) of its quality management system". 

Added: The organization shall determine whether climate change is a relevant issue. 

4.2 Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties

"The organization shall determine:

• the interested parties that are relevant to the quality management system. 
• the relevant requirements of these interested parties.
• which of these requirements will be addressed through the quality management system."

Added:  NOTE: Relevant interested parties can have requirements related to climate change 

The overall intent of the clauses 4.1 and 4.2 remains unchanged, as these clauses already included the need for the organization to consider internal and external issues that can impact the effectiveness of their management system.

But these new inclusions aim to ensure that climate change is firmly on your organization’s radar screen and is given special attention as one of the external issues to be considered in the design and implementation of your quality management system.

How do I integrate climate change into my QMS?

Relevant issues related to climate change, to be determined by you (if any), are those relevant to your purpose and strategic direction, and that affect your organization’s ability to achieve the intended results of your quality management system. That means: 

your ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements

and...

your ability to enhance customer satisfaction through the effective application of the system, including processes for improvement of the system and the assurance of conformity to customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements

The note in 4.2 is a reminder that there may exist, currently or potentially in the future, requirements related to climate change dictated by your customers and relevant interested parties. 

And based on the new requirement in 4.1., your organization should determine whether climate change is a relevant issue.

Consider the following points for climate change impacts from external and internal issues:

Statutory or regulatory requirements

This involves assessing if there are any laws or regulations that impact your organization's operations related to climate change, such as restrictions on certain materials or requirements for product circularity.

Use of bio-based, renewable materials

Evaluating whether your organization uses, or should use, sustainable materials that have a lower carbon footprint or are renewable in nature

Impacts on products, services and QMS processes

Understanding how climate change may affect your organization's products, services, and quality management system (QMS) processes. This could include the need to reduce energy consumption, waste, or adapt to changes in other management systems.

Extended product lifetime and carbon neutrality

Assessing whether there are requirements or opportunities to extend the lifetime of products, provide post-delivery services, and move towards carbon-neutral products and services.

Impact on processes and infrastructure

Identifying how climate change may affect your organization's processes and infrastructure, particularly in terms of energy usage and other considerations.

Vulnerability to natural disasters

Evaluating your organization's vulnerability to natural disasters such as storms, floods, fires and droughts, which could disrupt your supply chain and distribution.

Supply chain knowledge and control

Assessing your organization's knowledge and control over your supply chain concerning climate change issues, including sustainability and related risks.

Market trends and competition

Analyzing market trends related to sustainability and climate change, as well as competing products and services that may offer better performance in addressing these issues.

How about the note in 4.2, around how your relevant interested parties can have requirements related to climate change?

Your organization should have mechanisms in place to identify and evaluate requirements related to climate change from relevant interested parties.

Here are some questions you may consider:

Documentation review

Are there documented procedures or policies in place to identify and assess climate change-related requirements from interested parties?
Is there evidence of regular reviews of relevant regulations, customer requirements, and industry standards related to climate change?

Integration into QMS processes

How are climate change-related requirements integrated into the organization's processes such as product development, manufacturing, and service provision?

Are there specific measures or controls in place to ensure compliance with climate change-related requirements throughout these processes?

Risk assessment and mitigation

Does the organization conduct risk assessments to identify potential risks and opportunities related to climate change?

Are there mitigation measures in place to address identified risks, such as changes in regulations or customer preferences related to climate change?

Training and awareness

How does the organization ensure that employees are aware of and trained on climate change-related requirements that may impact their work?

Is there evidence of training programs or awareness campaigns focused on climate change within the organization?

Monitoring and measurement

How does the organization monitor and measure its performance regarding compliance with climate change-related requirements?

Are there established key performance indicators (KPIs) or metrics to track progress in addressing climate change-related issues?

Continuous improvement

Does the organization have processes in place to continually improve its approach to addressing climate change-related requirements?

Are there mechanisms for gathering feedback from stakeholders regarding the organization's performance in this area?

You may already be addressing your climate change issues, or you may be doing so for the first time.  But it's now crucial for your business to demonstrate it can meet any claims related to climate change, which we can only expect to multiply and magnify as the years go on.

By effectively and proactively addressing climate change issues within your QMS, your company can position itself perfectly for the remainder of this crucial 21st century.