Lesson 06 - Transision Matrix (Clause 7: Support)

7 Support

7.1 Resources

The organization shall determine and provide the resources needed for the establishment, implementation, maintenance and continual improvement of the environmental management system.

7 Support

7.1 Resources

The organization shall determine and provide the resources needed for the establishment, implementation, maintenance and continual improvement of the environmental management system.

7.2 Competence

The organization shall:

1. determine the necessary competence of person(s) doing work under its control that affects its environmental performance and its ability to meet its compliance obligations;
2. ensure that these persons are competent on the basis of appropriate education, training, or experience;
3. determine training needs associated with its environmental aspects and its environmental management system;
4. where applicable, take actions to acquire the necessary competence, and evaluate the effectiveness of the actions taken.

NOTE           Applicable actions can include, for example: the provision of training to, the mentoring of, or the re-assignment of currently employed persons; or the hiring or contracting of competent persons.

Appropriate documented information shall be available as evidence of competence.

7.2 Competence

The organization shall:

1. determine the necessary competence of person(s) doing work under its control that affects its environmental performance and its ability to fulfil its compliance obligations;
2. ensure that these persons are competent on the basis of appropriate education, training or experience;
3. determine training needs associated with its environmental aspects and its environmental management system;
4. where applicable, take actions to acquire the necessary competence, and evaluate the effectiveness of the actions taken.

NOTE Applicable actions can include, for example, the provision of training to, the mentoring of, or the reassignment of currently employed persons; or the hiring or contracting of competent persons.

The organization shall retain appropriate documented information as evidence of competence.

7.3 Awareness

The organization shall ensure that persons doing work under the organization’s control are aware of:

1. the environmental policy;
2. the significant environmental aspects and related actual or potential environmental impacts associated with their work;
3. their contribution to the effectiveness of the environmental management system, including the benefits of enhanced environmental performance;
4. the implications of not conforming with the environmental management system requirements, including not meeting the organization’s compliance obligations.

7.3 Awareness

The organization shall ensure that persons doing work under the organization’s control are aware of:

1. the environmental policy;
2. the significant environmental aspects and related actual or potential environmental impacts associated with their work;
3. their contribution to the effectiveness of the environmental management system, including the benefits of enhanced environmental performance;
4. the implications of not conforming with the environmental management system requirements, including not fulfilling the organization’s compliance obligations.

7.4  Communication

7.4.1 General

The organization shall establish, implement and maintain the process(es) needed for internal and external communications relevant to the environmental management system including:

1. on what it will communicate;
2. when to communicate;
3. with whom to communicate;
4. how to

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 system and is reliable.

The organization shall respond to relevant communications on its environmental management system. Appropriate documented information shall be available as evidence of the organization’s communications.

7.4 Communication

7.4.1 General

The organization shall establish, implement and maintain the process(es) needed for internal and external communications relevant to the environmental management system, including:

1. on what it will communicate;
2. when to communicate;
3. with whom to communicate;
4. how to communicate.

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 system, and is reliable.

The organization shall respond to relevant communications on its environmental management system.  The organization shall retain documented information as evidence of its communications, as appropriate.

7.4.2  Internal communication

The organization shall:

1. 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;
2. ensure that its communication process(es) enable(s) persons doing work under the organization’s control to contribute to continual improvement.

7.4.2 Internal communication

The organization shall:

1. 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;
2. ensure its communication process(es) enable(s) persons doing work under the organization’s control to contribute to continual improvement.

7.4.2: No substantive change;
minor grammatical clarification adds “that” before the communication-process requirement.

7.4.3 External communication

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.

7.4.3 External communication

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.

7.5  Documented information

7.5.1  General

The organization’s environmental management system shall include:

1. documented information required by this document;
2. documented information determined by the organization as being necessary for the effectiveness of the environmental management system.

NOTE The extent of documented information for an environmental management system can differ from one organization to another due to:

• the size of organization and its type of activities, processes, products and services;
• the need to demonstrate fulfillment of its compliance obligations;
• the complexity of processes and their interactions;
• the competence of persons doing work under the organization’s

7.5 Documented information

7.5.1 General

The organization’s environmental management system shall include:

1. documented information required by this International Standard;
2. documented information determined by the organization as being necessary for the effectiveness of the environmental management system.

NOTE The extent of documented information for an environmental management system can differ from one organization to another due to:

• the size of organization and its type of activities, processes, products and services;
• the need to demonstrate fulfilment of its compliance obligations;
• the complexity of processes and their interactions;
• the competence of persons doing work under the organization’s control.

7.5.2 Creating and updating documented information

When creating and updating documented information, the organization shall ensure appropriate:

1. identification and description (e.g. a title, date, author, or reference number);
2. format (e.g. language, software version, graphics) and media (e.g. paper, electronic);
3. review and approval for suitability and

7.5.2 Creating and updating

When creating and updating documented information, the organization shall ensure appropriate:

1. identification and description (e.g. a title, date, author, or reference number);
2. format (e.g. language, software version, graphics) and media (e.g. paper, electronic);
3. review and approval for suitability and adequacy.

7.5.3 Control of documented information

Documented information required by the environmental management system and by this document shall be controlled to ensure:

1. it is available and suitable for use, where and when it is needed;
2. it is adequately protected (e.g. from loss of confidentiality, improper use, or loss of integrity).

For the control of documented information, the organization shall address the following activities, as applicable:

• distribution, access, retrieval and use;
• storage and preservation, including preservation of legibility;
• control of changes (e.g. version control);
• retention and

NOTE  Access can imply a decision regarding the permission to view the documented information only, or the permission and authority to view and change the documented information.

Documented information of external origin determined by the organization to be necessary for the planning and operation of the environmental management system shall be identified as appropriate, and controlled.

7.5.3 Control of documented information

Documented information required by the environmental management system and by this International Standard shall be controlled to ensure:

1. it is available and suitable for use, where and when it is needed;
2. it is adequately protected (e.g. from loss of confidentiality, improper use, or loss of integrity).

For the control of documented information, the organization shall address the following activities

as applicable:

• distribution, access, retrieval and use;
• storage and preservation, including preservation of legibility;
• control of changes (e.g. version control);
• retention and disposition.

Documented information of external origin determined by the organization to be necessary for the planning and operation of the environmental management system shall be identified, as appropriate, and controlled.

NOTE Access can imply a decision regarding the permission to view the documented information only, or the permission and authority to view and change the documented information.