This article addresses the recent amendment to ISO 22301:2020 “Security and Resilience – Business Continuity Management System” which you may wish to take note.
This change emphasizes the inclusion of climate change considerations, addressing the increasing concerns about climate change and its potential impact on organizations worldwide. The following changes to the ISO22301 clauses are as follows (changes in red):
4.1 Understanding the organization and its context
The organization shall determine external and internal issues that are relevant to its purpose and that affect its ability to achieve the intended outcome(s) of its BCMS.
Added: The organization shall determine whether climate change is a relevant issue.
4.2 Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties
When establishing its BCMS, the organization shall determine:
- The interested parties that are relevant to the parties;
- The relevant requirements of the interested parties;
Added: NOTE: Relevant interested parties can have requirements related to climate change.
In view of the recent amendment to the ISO 22301 clause, companies implementing Business Continuity Management System must now consider climate change implications, if any.
We recommend that the following items should be considered for the upcoming year, 2025:
- Reviewing business continuity policies, including the identification of interested parties with climate change-related requirements.
- Reviewing risk assessment processes to address climate change risks and corresponding treatments.
- Reviewing business impact analysis processes to assess the impact of climate change on business operations.
- Reviewing the need to establish supporting plans to handle the impact of climate change on operations.
If you need any assistance or help, do reach out to the BCP Asia team at enquiry@bcpasia.com or reach out to your corresponding consultants, if any. We are here to help.