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

Auditing With Climate Change Requirements In ISO 9001:2015 QMS – 2

Auditing With Climate Change Requirements In ISO 9001:2015 QMS – 2

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Auditing considerations related to clause 4.2 of ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard

 

Clause 4.2 of ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard now has an added note that states, “Relevant interested parties can have needs and expectations related to climate change.”

 

An auditor needs to find out whether the organization determined the existence of applicable requirements related to climate change from relevant interested parties.

 

First, we must understand who can be the ‘relevant interested parties’ that can have requirements (needs and expectations) related to climate change. Here are a few examples:

 

(1)   Statutory and regulatory bodies: There may be statutory and regulatory bodies at local, national and international levels often require an organization to implement policies, rules and regulations aimed at mitigating climate change including adhering to specific environmental needs and expectations, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, implement sustainability measures etc.

 

(2)   Non-governmental organizations (NGOs): There may be NGOs including environmental advocacy groups that advocate following policies and practices addressing climate change. These may require an organization to adopt sustainable practices, reduce carbon emissions, support renewable energy initiatives etc.

 

(3)   Customers and consumers: Presently customers, including consumers and end-users, are becoming more environmentally conscious. These may prefer products and services of the organization that have minimal environmental impact, demanding eco-friendly products, carbon-neutral services, transparent information about the organization’s environmental practices.

 

(4)   Investors and shareholders: Presently investors including shareholders are increasingly considering environmental factors when making investment decisions. These may expect the organization to disclose its environmental risks and strategies to mitigate climate-related impacts to ensure long-term sustainability and resilience.

 

(5)   Industry associations: Generally, industry associations develop and establish guidelines, code of conduct, best practices for their members to follow. They may include guidelines to reduce carbon emissions, implement sustainable practices, adapting to climate related risks within specific sectors, such as, energy producers, transportation sector, manufacturers, food producers, etc.

 

(6)   Suppliers and partners: Suppliers and business partners may have their own climate change-related requirements or expectations. These may expect the organization to prioritize its sustainability, reduce emissions throughout the supply chain, adhere to specific environmental norms etc.

 

(7)   Local communities and residents: Local communities and residents living near the organization’s facilities may be concerned about the environmental impact of the operations, including their contribution to climate change. These may require for cleaner production methods, reduced emissions, or greater transparency and accountability from the organization.

 

These are just a few examples of interested parties that can have requirements related to climate change. The specific requirements may vary depending on factors such as industry, geography, and stakeholder priorities.

 

Auditing considerations for relevant interested parties’ requirements for climate change can include various points. These are described below.

 

(1)   Statutory and Regulatory Requirements

 

These are rules and regulations set by statutory and regulatory bodies concerning environmental protection and climate change, which may directly impact the organization's operations or the products and services it offers.

 

Find out: Does the organization comply with relevant environmental and climate change regulations? How does non-compliance with these regulations affect the organization's ability to provide its products or services?

 

Example: A manufacturing plant of the organization verifies if it adheres to emissions limits set by regulatory bodies to mitigate climate change.

 

(2)   Customers’ needs and expectations

 

Customers may have specific expectations related to climate change, such as demanding products and services with zero discharge or carbon neutrality.

 

Find out: Are there any explicit climate change-related requirements specified by the organization's customers? How does the organization ensure compliance with these customer requirements?

 

A car manufacturer assesses how it incorporates customer needs and expectations for electric vehicle options to reduce carbon emissions.

 

(3)    Parent organization policies and strategies

 

The parent organization may have overarching policies and strategies regarding climate change that trickle down to subsidiary organizations.

 

Find out: What are the parent organization's policies and strategies regarding climate change? How are these policies and strategies implemented within the organization?

 

Example: A subsidiary organization examines how it aligns with its parent organization’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions across all subsidiaries.

 

(4)    Product information requirements

 

Product (or service) information requirements refers to the need for accurate and transparent product information related to climate change aspects, such as sustainability, recyclability, and embedded carbon content.

 

Find out: How does the organization ensure that product information accurately reflects climate change-related aspects? Are there any instances of misleading or "greenwashing" labelling?

 

Example: A food packaging organization verifies if its product labels accurately depict the materials' recyclability and environmental impact.

 

(5)    Industry codes and subsequent changes

 

Industry-specific codes and subsequent changes may evolve to address climate change concerns, imposing new requirements on the organization.

 

Find out: Is the organization aware of and compliant with updated industry codes and norms related to climate change? How does the organization adapt its practices to meet these evolving requirements?

Example: A construction firm examines how it incorporates new building codes aimed at improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

 

(6)   Environmental Agreements

 

An organization may enter into agreements with community groups or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to address environmental issues, including climate change.

 

Find out: Does the organization have any environmental agreements related to climate change? How does the organization fulfill its commitments under these agreements?

 

Example: A mining organization assesses its compliance with agreements to minimize carbon emissions and support reforestation efforts in affected areas.

 

(7)   Permits, licenses, or authorizations

 

An organization may require permits, licenses, or other forms of environmental authorization to operate in compliance with climate change regulations.

 

Find Out: Does the organization possess all necessary permits, licenses, or authorizations related to climate change? Are there any instances of non-compliance or expired permits?

 

Example: A chemical plant verifies if it holds valid permits for emissions and waste disposal in accordance with environmental regulations aimed at mitigating climate change.

 

(8)    Process-related Climate Change Requirements

 

Climate change considerations may impact various organizational processes, such as packaging, manufacturing, servicing, and logistics.

 

Find out: How are climate change-related requirements integrated into key organizational processes? Are there any gaps or deficiencies in addressing climate change within these processes?

 

Example: A shipping organization evaluates how it incorporates fuel-efficient practices and carbon offsetting measures into its logistics operations to reduce its environmental footprint.

 

I request readers to comment / react on the contents of the article.

 

Regards,

Keshav Ram Singhal 

 

Auditing With Climate Change Requirements In ISO 9001:2015 QMS – 1

Auditing With Climate Change Requirements In ISO 9001:2015 QMS – 1

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As you are aware that ISO member bodies unanimously approved ISO’s commitment to action on climate change. This ISO’s commitment is known as London Declaration. Thereafter, in February 2024, amendments to over 30 of ISO’s management system standards, including ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard, have been issued to include climate change considerations. Accordingly, clause 4.1 and clause 4.2 of ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard have been amended by adding the following requirement and note:

 

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.

 

If we look to the above amendments, we find that the overall intention of the standard requirements remains unchanged. Clause 4.1 and clause 4.2 already included the requirements for the organization to consider internal and external issues that can impact the effectiveness of the organization’s quality management system.

 

The basic points behind including the requirement in clause 4.1 and note in clause 4.2 are as under:

 

(1)   To ensure that the organization firmly consider climate change issue.

 

(2)   To ensure that the organization firmly provide special attention to consider climate change as one of the external issues in designing and implementing the organization’s quality management system

 

In 2003, an informal group of quality management system experts, auditors and practitioners drawn from International Organization for Standardization Technical Committee (ISO/TC 176) and International Accreditation Forum (IAF) as ‘ISO 9001 Auditing Practice Group’ was constituted that provide guidance on matters related to ISO 9001 QMS auditing. On 19 March 2024, this ISO 9001 Auditing Practice Group has posted “Guidance on – Auditing Climate Change Issues in ISO 9001.” This is a ten-page document. Auditors, including internal auditors, should refer to this document for better understanding of the amendment.

 

Climate change is a complex and multifaceted issue. There are various viewpoints on the causes and consequences of climate change. While the overwhelming scientific consensus supports the idea that human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, are major contributors to climate change, there are still some individuals, groups, or organizations that dispute or downplay the role of human activities in driving climate change. However, auditors, including internal auditors, need to maintain objectivity and impartiality at the time of auditing climate change issues. Their auditing should be in consistent with ISO 19011:2018 standard on Guidelines for auditing management systems. Auditors should not express and/or impose personal beliefs relating to climate change. The role of the auditor is (1) to assess whether the organization determined if climate change issues are relevant or not in relation to the organization’s quality management system and its intended results, and (2) to find out the ways and means the organization addressed the climate change issue within the quality management system, if climate change issue is relevant. It should be noted that the climate change amendment within the ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard does not mandate an organization to implement climate change initiatives unless it has been recognized as pertinent to achieving the desired outcomes of the organization’s quality management system.

 

Auditing considerations related to clause 4.1 of ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard

 

An auditor needs to find out the following:

 

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

 

(2)   What is the determination process?

 

(3)   Does the organization’s determination process align with applicable legal (statutory + regulatory) requirements applicable to the organization’s products and services?

 

(4)   Does the organization’s determination process align with the organization’s contractual requirements?

 

Auditing considerations for climate change impacts in an organization from its external and internal issues can include various points. These are described below.

 

(1)   Changes in statutory and/or regulatory requirements

 

There may be changes in statutory or regulatory requirements such as restriction on the use of certain materials, product circularity, product life cycle, product origin, claims, etc.

 

Find out: Has the organization monitored and complied with evolving regulations concerning environmental impact, such as restrictions on certain materials or requirements for product circularity.

 

Example: An organization may need to adjust, restrict, comply its packaging materials to comply with new regulations limiting plastic usage. An organization, producing cosmetic products, may need to comply with new regulations restricting the use of microplastics in its products.

 

(2)   Utilization of Renewable Materials

 

There may be requirements to use bio-based, renewable materials.

 

Find out: Whether in the organization embracing materials derived from sustainable sources like plants can reduce carbon footprint and reliance on finite resources.

 

Example: Switching from traditional plastic packaging to biodegradable materials made from corn starch.

 

(3)   Impacts on Products, Services, and QMS Processes

 

There may be potential impacts on the products and services or on the QMS processes, by changes determined in other management system disciplines, e.g. need to reduce energy consumption, reduce waste, reuse or recycle materials. Climate change considerations may affect various management systems within an organization, necessitating adjustments to reduce energy consumption, waste, and enhance recycling.

 

Find out: Whether the organization implementing energy-saving measures in production processes to align with sustainability goals.

 

Example: A textile manufacturer implements energy-saving measures to reduce its carbon footprint to ensure these changes are integrated effectively into its quality management system without compromising product quality or delivery timelines.

 

(4)   Longevity of products and services including post-delivery services and assistance

 

Extending the lifespan of products and providing post-delivery services can minimize environmental impact by reducing the need for frequent replacements.

 

Find out: Whether the organization needs to assess the provision of post-delivery services and assistance, as well as measures to extend the lifespan of products, which may be crucial.

 

Example: Offering repair services for electronic devices to prolong their usage instead of encouraging frequent upgrades. An electronics organization offers repair and upgrade services for its devices to promote longevity and minimize electronic waste, necessitating an audit to verify the effectiveness and consistency of these services.

 

(5)   Carbon Neutrality Objectives

 

An organization may have requirements to move to carbon neutral products and services. The organization may be required to transition towards producing carbon-neutral products and services to mitigate climate change.

 

Find out: Whether the organization has carbon neutrality objectives.

 

Example: An organization invests in renewable energy sources to offset carbon emissions from manufacturing processes. An automotive manufacturer invests in electric vehicle technology to reduce emissions, prompting an audit to assess the implementation of these eco-friendly initiatives across its product line.

 

(6)   Infrastructure Adaptations

 

There may be issues impacting the processes and infrastructure, due to energy and other considerations. Climate change can affect organizational infrastructure, necessitating adjustments to mitigate risks and enhance resilience.

 

Find out: Vulnerabilities in processes and infrastructure due to energy and environmental considerations, which are essential for risk mitigation.

 

Example: A logistics organization conducts an assessment to identify potential disruptions in its supply chain caused by extreme weather events, such as hurricanes or floods, and develops contingency plans to address these vulnerabilities.

 

(7)   Supply Chain Resilience

 

There may be vulnerability of an organization to deliver its products and services due to more frequency of storms, waterflows, fires, drought, that may imply shortages in the supply or difficulties in distribution. Evaluating the organization's understanding and management of climate change-related issues within its supply chain is critical.

 

Find out: Whether the organization needs to assess vulnerabilities in their supply chain caused by climate-related disruptions to ensure uninterrupted product delivery.

 

Example: Diversifying suppliers need to reduce dependence on regions prone to natural disasters. A fashion retailer conducts an assessment of its suppliers to ensure compliance with sustainability standards and minimize the environmental impact of its products, including issues like deforestation or unethical labour practices.

 

(8)   Supply Chain Transparency

 

There may be concerns related to overall knowledge and control of the supply chain in issues related to climate change.

 

Find out: Whether the organization needs to maintain visibility and control over the entire supply chain, which may be crucial for identifying and addressing climate change-related risks.

 

Example: A food organization claims its products are sourced from sustainable farms, prompting an assessment to verify the validity of these claims and ensure alignment with consumer expectations and regulatory standards.

 

(9)   Market Sustainability Trends

 

There may be market trends on sustainability of products and services and related information and claims. Consumer preferences are shifting towards sustainable products and services, driving the need for organizations to align with market demands. Comparing products and services with competitors in terms of their performance on climate change-related issues is vital for staying competitive.

 

Find out: Whether there are such trends on sustainability of products and services and related information and claims.

 

Example: Launching eco-friendly product lines in response to increasing consumer awareness of environmental issues. A renewable energy organization conducts assessments to benchmark its products' efficiency and environmental impact against those of rival firms, identifying areas for improvement and innovation.

 

(10)                  Competing Products and Services

 

An organization may need to compete its products and services with potential better performance in climate change related issues. Monitoring competitors' strategies and offerings related to climate change can inform organizational decisions and foster innovation.

 

Find out: Whether there such need to compete its products and services with potential better performance in climate change related issues.

 

Example: An eco-friendly cleaning product manufacturer conducts audits to analyze competitors' offerings, identifying opportunities to enhance their own products' sustainability credentials and maintain a competitive edge in the market.

 

In the forthcoming article, I’ll discuss the auditing considerations related to clause 4.2 of ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard.

 

Regards,

Keshav Ram Singhal

International Standard on "Event sustainability management systems"

International Standard on "Event sustainability management systems"

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ISO 20121:2024 stands as a beacon for event sustainability management systems, offering comprehensive requirements and practical guidance for implementation.

This standard serves as a guiding light for organizations, facilitating the seamless integration of sustainability principles into all aspects of event planning and execution. By addressing social, economic, and environmental impacts, ISO 20121:2024 becomes useful for events aiming to create a positive and lasting legacy. It applies universally, irrespective of the type or scale of the event, urging organizations to responsibly manage their impacts across these dimensions.

Promoting sustainability within event management is crucial, and ISO 20121:2024 emerges as a vital tool in steering organizations towards practices that are ethical, environmentally conscious, and socially responsible. With an emphasis on human and children's rights alongside the concept of event legacies, the standard underscores sustainability's transformative potential in the industry. Furthermore, it offers multiple avenues for demonstrating conformity, including self-declaration, supplier validation, and third-party certification, thus making sustainable practices accessible even to smaller organizations facing certification challenges.

The benefits of adopting this standard are manifold:

- Reduction of environmental footprint of events

- Encouragement of a holistic sustainability approach, encompassing economic, environmental, and social dimensions

- Enhancement of stakeholder engagement and satisfaction

- Strengthening of organizational reputation and brand value

- Provision of flexible conformity assessment methods suitable for organizations of all sizes.

Any organization involved in event planning, management, or delivery, and looking to embed sustainability into its operations, should consider implementing ISO 20121:2024. Applicable to events of all scales, from intimate gatherings to large-scale conferences, the standard goes beyond mere compliance, empowering organizations to embrace sustainability as a central tenet of event management. This fosters a creative yet systematic approach to making a meaningful and enduring impact.

For more detailed information, please refer to the ISO website.

Best Regards,

Keshav Ram Singhal