Context of the organization - Understanding the organization and its context as per ISO 14001:2015

The intent of Context of the organization is to provide a high-level, conceptual understanding of the important issues that can affect, either positively or negatively, the way the organization manages its environmental responsibilities. 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.

Examples of internal and external issues which can be relevant to the context of the organization include:

a) environmental conditions related to climate, air quality, water quality, land use, existing contamination, natural resource availability and biodiversity, that can either affect the organization’s purpose, or be affected by its environmental aspects;

b) the external cultural, social, political, legal, regulatory, financial, technological, economic, natural and competitive circumstances, whether international, national, regional or local;

c) the internal characteristics or conditions of the organization, such as its activities, products and services, strategic direction, culture and capabilities (i.e. people, knowledge, processes, systems).

An understanding of the context of an organization is used to establish, implement, maintain and continually improve its environmental management system. The internal and external issues that are determined in ISO 14001:2015 Clause 4.1 can result in risks and opportunities to the organization or to the environmental management system. The organization determines those that need to be addressed and managed.