Dear CABs, We would like to have your attention to the joint communique from IAF and ISO for the CABs operating with Management Systems Standards.
For the background to and the intent of the changes, see it here:
https://iaf.nu/iaf_system/uploads/documents/Joint_ISOIAF_Communique_re_Climate_Change_Amds_to_ISO_MSS_Feb_2024_Final.pdf
Abstract
Addition of Climate Change notes to the Management Systems Standards
Introduction
IAF and ISO have published a joint communiqué, highlighting the changes being made to a
number of Management Systems standards, in the form of additional text highlighting the
importance of Climate Change as a consideration within the organisational context for the
management system concerned. As the joint communiqué explains, the changes were
instigated in response to the London Declaration on Climate Action.
The purpose of this IAF communication, answering to the IAF Technical Committee Paper
raised in Montreal 2023, is to clarify the expectations for management systems Certified
Organisations, Certification Bodies and Accreditation Bodies, noting that, as stated in the
joint communiqué:
“The overall intent of the requirements for clauses 4.1 and 4.2 remain
unchanged; these clauses already include the need for the organization to
consider all internal and external issues that can impact the effectiveness
of their management system; these new inclusions are assuring that
Climate Change is considered within the management system and that it
is an external factor that is important enough for our community to require
organizations to consider it now.”
Because of the above statement noting that the overall intent of the requirements remains
unchanged, and with this change being treated as a clarification rather than a new
requirement, it is considered that a full transition programme is not needed in this case,
however, the guidance below should be considered.
Expectations on Certified Organisations
Certified organisations should ensure that they have considered Climate Change aspects
and risks within the development, maintenance, and effectiveness of their own management
system(s).
Climate Change, along with other issues, should be determined as relevant or not and if so,
considered within an evaluation of risk, within the scope of the management systems
standards. Where an organisation operates more than one management system (for
example Quality Management and Health and Safety Management), it should ensure that
Climate Change, if determined to be relevant, is considered within the scope of each
management system standard.
It is noted that some climate change aspects and risks may be of a general nature,
independent of the applicable management system scope or the industry (e.g. when related
to regulatory compliance or operational adaptability and organizational resilience), while
others will be specifically indexed to the requirements of the management system
standards, to specific industries (e.g. energy production, agriculture and fisheries) and to
characteristics of the organization (e.g. geographical location, nature of its supply-chain or
workforce dynamics).
Expectations on Certification Bodies
Certification Bodies should already be ensuring that all internal and external issues have
been determined by the organization as relevant or not and if so, considered in the
development and effectiveness of the management system(s), as required by clauses 4.1
and 4.2.
With the new additions on Climate Change, Certification Bodies are expected to ensure that
Climate Change has been considered and if determined to be a relevant issue for its
management system, included in any objectives and mitigation activities by the
organization, as required. If it was considered not to be a relevant issue by the organization
for its management system, the CB is expected to ensure the effectiveness of the
organization’s process to make this determination and implementing related actions, when
applicable.
Expectations on Accreditation Bodies
Accreditation Bodies should be, as part of the ongoing accreditation cycle, ensuring that
Certification Bodies are confirming that their management systems certified clients have
considered Climate Change aspects along with other aspects of clause 4.1 and 4.2.
Timing
The Amendments are expected to be published for the standards on 29 February 2024. As noted above, issues related to Climate Change affecting the context of an organisation’s management system(s) are typically already being considered by organizations.
Therefore, upon publication, certification bodies should include the new text in their auditing of the organisation and its context. As with normal practice, where a certified organisation cannot demonstrate that all external and internal issues that have been determined as relevant, including Climate Change, have been considered, a suitable finding should be raised.
The MS standards will go through the ISO amendment process, however a revised
certificate should not need to be issued, considering that:
- The publication year of each MS standard will not change.
- There is no change in the scope of application for the certified MS.
- There is no significant impact on the effectiveness of the certified MS.
- The method and actions that certified organizations will eventually enter into, due to
the new requirement, will resemble methods and actions they would apply in the
case of future changes in any other contextual issue they already address within the
scope of the MS.
In accordance with the communique, JASANZ would like CABs to address below:
1. Please bring your attention to the section, expectations on CAB
• “Certification Bodies are expected to ensure that Climate Change has been considered and
if determined to be a relevant issue for its management system, included in any objectives
and mitigation activities by the organization, as required. If it was considered not to be a
relevant issue by the organization for its management system, the CB is expected to
ensure the effectiveness of the organization’s process to make this determination and
implementing related actions, when applicable.”
• This change does not require a certificate to be revised and re-issued.
2. Please work on your actions as CAB
• Certification bodies communicate with their clients regarding the expectations of certified
organisations and take any necessary steps to ensure it.
• “Certification bodies should include the new text in their auditing of the organisation and its
context. As with normal practice, where a certified organisation cannot demonstrate that all
external and internal issues that have been determined as relevant, including Climate
Change, have been considered, a suitable finding should be raised.”
3. JASANZ will verify the implementation of climate change notes as part of CAB’s office surveillance.
Refer to additional documents:
File ( Joint_ISO-IAF_Communique_re_Climate_Change_Amds_to_ISO_MSS_Feb_2024_Final)
File ( Communication to CABs - Addition of Climate Change notes )
File ( 2024.02.28 Thông báo đánh giá bổ sung về vấn đề khí hậu trong tiêu chuẩn hệ thống quản lý