CLIMATE CHANGE AUDIT TEAM AND DECISION-MAKER INFORMATION NOTE
General Information
Climate change issues are one of many that organizations must consider when analyzing their internal and external contexts and identifying requirements from customers and other stakeholders. The ISO and IAF statement indicates that this is a significant external factor that our community considers important, requiring organizations to take it into account now. The amendment to ISO 9001:2015 was published on February 23, 2024. Auditors must assess how the organization has determined whether climate change is a relevant issue and how this is demonstrated within the context of the quality management system and intended outcomes.
In practice, auditors should audit processes relating to context, relevant issues, and relevant requirements as usual, specifically assessing how climate change issues are addressed.
Has the organization determined whether climate change is a relevant issue? Is the organization's determination compliant with applicable legal and regulatory legislation? What are the requirements applicable to the products and services?
Is the organization's commitment consistent with the contractual requirements?
4.1 New Requirement: The organization shall determine whether climate change is a relevant issue.
Audit considerations regarding the impacts of climate change arising from external and internal issues may include:
Changes in legal or regulatory requirements such as restrictions on the use of specific materials, product circularity, product lifecycle, product origin, claims.
Use of bio-based, renewable materials.
Potential impacts of identified changes in other management system disciplines on products and services or QMS processes; Reducing energy consumption, reducing waste, reusing or recycling materials
Longer product lifecycles, post-delivery services and support
Transition to carbon-neutral products and services
Impacts on processes and infrastructure due to energy and other issues
Weakness in the organization's ability to deliver its products and services due to more frequent storms, floods, fires, droughts; this may mean shortages in supply or difficulties in distribution
Concerns regarding the overall knowledge and control of the supply chain on climate change-related issues. Market trends regarding the sustainability of products and services and related information and claims
Competitor products that potentially perform better on climate change issues
4.2 Relevant stakeholders may have climate change requirements. Has the organization identified the existence of applicable climate change requirements from relevant stakeholders? Examples of audits regarding climate change stakeholder requirements may include:
Legal and regulatory, environmental or climate change requirements relating to the provision of the product or service and the ability to provide that product or service
Customer requirements, climate change, zero discharge or carbon neutrality of products
Parent company policies and
Requirements relating to climate change product information (sustainability of origin, reuse, recyclability, end of life, embodied carbon, "greenwash labeling"), product claims and related existing legal, regulatory and other requirements. Changes to industry codes and standards relating to climate change.
Environmental agreements with community groups or NGOs.
Permits, licenses or other types of environmental permits.
Climate change-related requirements relating to processes such as packaging, production, maintenance, and logistics.
Approach to Relevant Issues Identified by the Organization
If the organization has identified relevant issues related to climate change or requirements of customers and other stakeholders, the auditor’s next step is to assess how these issues are addressed. This follows the approach of any other issue.
Below are some inexhaustible examples and relevant aspects for the auditor to assess how the organization addresses these issues.
4.3 Determining the Scope of the QMS
Do these relevant climate change issues affect the scope of the QMS or alter the applicability of specific requirements? Is there a need to modify the scope of the QMS?
Relevant examples: The organization is considering relocation due to the high flood risk at its current location. The organization offers different products and services. The organization has not implemented product development but has made changes to raw materials or processes and has identified requirements for its applicability.
6.1 Activities to Address Risks and Opportunities
Has the organization assessed these issues to identify risks and opportunities? Relevant examples:
These issues include infrastructure, monitoring and measurement equipment.