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March 7, 2016
The year 2015 saw the release of ISO 14001:2015, the standard that guides organizations on effective management of their EMS (Environmental Management System) with the end goal of environmental protection and preservation. Previously, in the article 12 Steps to make the transition from ISO 14001:2004 to the 2015 revision, we looked at the steps you should consider to transition smoothly, but one of the key changes between the two standards is the element of “risk and opportunity” and the effect that this can have on your EMS performance. The “risk and opportunity” element effectively replaces the old preventive action process, so what do we need to know to ensure we meet the terms of the standard and, just as importantly, we use “risk and opportunity” to maintain and improve our environmental performance?
The standard suggests that the risks and opportunities should be considered in terms of the following elements:
These are all laid out with the aim of ensuring the EMS can meet its intended expectations, reducing the risk of any external conditions affecting the EMS, and ensuring continual improvement is seen and that any emergency situations are assessed and action taken to address them. So, now that we have an idea of what the “risk and opportunity” element is designed to address, how do we best go about this?
The ISO 31000 standard deals with the principles of risk management and obviously, if you are familiar with this, then it will prove to be of assistance, but let us look at how we can practically address risk and the resulting opportunity specifically within our EMS and the 14001:2015 standard itself:
So, is there anything else we need to pay attention to?
Assessing risk and opportunity within an EMS is of crucial importance, with prevention being better than cure in environmental terms, where there is often no way of repairing the damage an incident does after occurrence. Having a team that is focused on risk and prevention can go a long way towards mitigating environmental risk, but only supported by the correct processes within the EMS. Ensure compliance terms are always met and a great portion of risk will be reduced. Ensure that all risk assessments are recorded, actioned, measured, and improvement action taken. Make risk and opportunity a staple of the mindset of the team. A team that is focused on risk and opportunity is a team that can preside over continual improvement, and that result will be of benefit to your organization and the EMS.
To ensure that you meet the standard’s requirements, visit our ISO 14001:2015 Internal Auditor online course.