Auditing With Climate Change Requirements In ISO 9001:2015 QMS – 3

Auditing With Climate Change Requirements In ISO 9001:2015 QMS – 3 

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Impact of climate change on the scope of the QMS

 

As you are aware that following are the amendments in ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard:

 

Clause 4.1 – Added requirement – The organization needs to determine whether climate change is a relevant issue.

 

Clause 4.2 – Added note – Relevant interested parties can have needs and expectations related to climate change.

 

In this connection, the auditor job should be to know:

 

(1)   How the organization determined whether climate change is a relevant issue for the organization?

 

(2)   Are there needs and expectations of interested parties related to climate change?

 

If climate change is a relevant issue for the organization, then the determined climate change issues may impact the scope of the organization's quality management system. If it is so, then the organization should change the scope of the organization's quality management system, although this is not specifically written in the year 2024 amendments of ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard.

 

The auditor needs to look for the objective evidence for the following:

 

(1)   Do the determined climate change issues impact the scope of the organization's quality management system?

 

(2)   Is it required to change the scope of the organization's quality management system?

 

Due to climate change issues, an organization may take following steps and improve the scope of the organization’s quality management system accordingly:

 

(1)   Change of location: The organization may consider to move to a safer and appropriate new location due to flood in the current location or any other climate issue.

 

(2)   Change in products and services: The organization may consider providing different or changed products and services.

 

(1)   Change in raw materials: The organization may consider change in raw materials.

 

(2)   Change in raw processes: The organization may consider change in processes.

 

Examples of Impact on the Scope of the QMS

 

Here-in-below a few examples of impact on the scope of an organization’s quality management system are mentioned.

 

(1)   Change of Location: A coastal manufacturing organization may experience increased risk of flooding due to rising sea levels caused by climate change. As a result, the organization may decide to relocate its operations to a safer inland location to mitigate this risk and ensure business continuity.

 

(2)   Change in Products and Services: An organization producing single-use plastic products may face increased scrutiny and consumer backlash due to concerns about plastic pollution and climate change. In response, the organization may transition its product line to include more sustainable alternatives, such as biodegradable or reusable materials.

 

(3)   Change in Raw Materials: A beverage organization reliant on water-intensive agricultural crops may face challenges sourcing raw materials due to changing climate patterns leading to droughts or water scarcity. To adapt, the organization may explore alternative ingredients or invest in water-saving agricultural practices to ensure a sustainable supply chain.

 

(4)   Change in Processes: A manufacturing organization may need to modify its production processes to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in response to climate change regulations or carbon pricing mechanisms. This may involve upgrading equipment to improve energy efficiency, implementing waste reduction measures, or adopting renewable energy sources.

 

Above examples illustrate how climate change can necessitate changes to an organization's operations, products, services, raw materials, and processes, ultimately impacting the scope of its quality management system.

 

Organization should find out whether such changes are necessary and accordingly take improvement decisions. An auditor needs to assess out whether changes have been appropriately integrated into the organization's quality management system to ensure continual effectiveness and compliance with ISO 9001:2015 requirements.

 

Regards,

Keshav Ram Singhal