AS ISO 14004:2018 pdf free.Environmental management systems General guidelines on implementation.
4 Context of the organization
4.1 Understanding the organization and its context
In order for an organization to establish, implement, maintain and continually improve an environmental management system, it should determine the context within which it operates. The context includes the external and internal issues, including environmental conditions, relevant to its purpose and that affect its ability to achieve the intended outcomes of the environmental management system. The organization’s purpose is reflected in its vision and mission.
The term “intended outcome” means what the organization intends to achieve by implementing its environmental management system. Intended outcomes include enhancement of environmental performance, fulfilment of compliance obligations and achievement of environmental objectives. These are the minimal, core outcomes. However, the organization can set additional intended outcomes, such as going beyond the environmental management system requirements. For example, the organization can benefit from adopting social and environmental principles to support a broader sustainability initiative.
Understanding the context is important, as organizations do not operate in isolation but are influenced by external and internal issues, such as the availability of resources and the involvement of their employees. The context of the organization can include the organization’s complexity, structure, activities and geographical locations of its functional units for the entire organization, as well as at a local level.
The context of the organization includes the natural environment in which it operates. The natural environment can create conditions and events, which affect the organization’s activities, products and services. Conditions can be existing or subject to gradual change, whereas an event can involve a sudden change, which is typically explained by an extreme situation. Preparing for, and managing the consequences of, such conditions and events supports business continuity.
Issues are important topics for the organization, problems for debate and discussion, or changing circumstances that affect the organization’s ability to achieve the intended outcomes it sets for its environmental management system.
To understand which issues are important, the organization can consider those that:
— are key drivers and trends, for example, in relation to environmental conditions or interested party concerns;
— can present problems for the environment or the organization;
— can be leveraged for beneficial effect, including innovation leading to improved environmental performance;
— offer competitive advantage, including cost reduction, value for customers, or improvement of the organization’s reputation and image.
An organization implementing or improving its environmental management system or integrating its environmental management system within its existing business processes should review its context in order to gain knowledge of the relevant issues that can affect the environmental management system. This review can benefit from taking a life cycle perspective and cross-functional involvement, including procurement, finance, human resources, engineering, design and sales and marketing. The review can include the following key areas:
a) identification of the relevant external and internal issues, including environmental conditions, and events, which relate to the organization’s activities, products and services;
b) consideration of how these issues can affect the organization’s purpose and ability to achieve the intended outcomes of its environmental management system;
c) understanding of how a) and b) can be addressed in planning (see 6.1.1)
d) identification of opportunities to improve its environmental performance (see 10.3).
A life cycle perspective involves consideration of the control and influence the organization has over the stages of its product and service life cycle. This approach enables the organization to identify those areas where, considering its scope, it can minimize its impact on the environment while adding value to the organization.
Practical Help Boxes 1 to 3 provide examples of considerations for determining external issues, environmental conditions, including events, and internal issues.AS ISO 14004 pdf download.