Master the intricacies of ISO 14001 Clause 7.4 Communication! Explore our latest article where we break down this essential clause into simple, actionable insights. Learn how to establish effective communication processes for your environmental management system and ensure compliance. Don't miss out on this comprehensive guide to mastering communication within ISO 14001 and enhancing your organization's environmental performance.
Ok, let’s get started! Let’s take a look at what Clause 7.4 wants us to do.
This clause is broken down into 3 subclauses. The first subclause is 7.4.1 General, and it states that
The organization shall establish, implement and maintain the process(es) needed for internal and external communications relevant to the environmental management system, including:
a) on what it will communicate
b) when to communicate
c) with whom to communicate
d) how to communicate
It then goes on to say that...
When establishing its communication process(es) the organization shall:
-Take into account its compliance obligations;
-Ensure that environmental information communicated is consistent with information generated within the environmental management systems, and is reliable.
And finally, it states that...
The organization shall respond to relevant communications on its environmental management system.
Here’s a little tip for you. You can follow Clause 4.2 for 'Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties.' This will give you a head start on WHAT to communicate, WHEN, and WITH WHOM. For instance, you might have a regulatory body that needs quarterly updates (that’s the WHEN) on your environmental impact and sustainability efforts (that’s the WHAT). You’ll be sending this to a designated officer within that organization (that’s the WITH WHOM). You’ll have to decide HOW you will communicate this—perhaps through an online portal or a formal report—and WHO within your organization will be responsible for this communication.
ISO 14001 places a strong emphasis on documenting your communication procedures, especially if they relate to legal requirements or compliance obligations. This is emphasised by the final sentence in this subclause which says that
The organization shall retain documented information as evidence of its communications, as appropriate.
Now, let’s move on to subclause 7.4.2 Internal Communication. This subclause states:
The organization shall:
a)internally communicate information relevant to the environmental management system among the various levels and functions of the organization, including changes to the environmental management system, as appropriate.
b)ensure its communication process(es) enable(s) persons doing work under the organization’s control to contribute to continual improvement.
This part of the clause wants you to make sure that environmental information is communicated within your organization. Basically, you’ve got to share what’s going on environmentally with your team, from top-level management down to the shop floor. It’s a two-way street; so, remember, feedback from employees is just as important as sending messages down the chain of command.
This is essential as open and effective communication ensures that everyone is on the same page when it comes to environmental objectives, policies, and performance. This could be done through team meetings, newsletters, or even a dedicated internal website—whatever is relevant to your way of communication internally.
And finally, let’s touch on Clause 7.4.3 External Communication. This subclause states that
The organization shall externally communicate information relevant to the environmental management system, as established by the organization’s communication process(es) and as required by its compliance obligations.
This clause asks you to figure out your strategy for communicating with external parties. That could be anyone from regulators, suppliers, customers, or the general public.
Let’s break it down: If you’re dealing with suppliers, maybe you want to communicate your sustainability goals and ask how they can align with them. If it’s a regulatory body, you might be sending over compliance data or impact assessments. And, if it’s the general public, you could be sharing your environmental milestones through social media or an annual sustainability report. The point is, you decide what makes sense for your organization, but make sure you've got a record of it.
So there we go! We've covered the full spectrum of Communication under ISO 14001's Clause 7.4. With a bit of planning and documentation, you can ensure that you’re communicating effectively both internally and externally, all while keeping your environmental impacts in check.
Now that you have a better understanding of these requirements, it's time to take action and implement them in your own organization and ISO 14001 Environmental management systems.
If you're keen to expand your knowledge on ISO 14001, make sure to check out our other articles on the topic, starting with a comprehensive breakdown of What is ISO 14001:2015 Environmental management systems.
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