The organization shall determine external and internal issues that are relevant to its purpose and that affect its ability to achieve the intended outcomes of its environmental management system. Such issues shall include environmental conditions being affected by or capable of affecting the organization.
4.2/ The organization shall determine:
a) the interested parties that are relevant to the environmental management system;
b) the relevant needs and expectations (i.e. requirements) of these interested parties;
c) which of these needs and expectations become its compliance obligations.
4.3 Determining the scope of the environment management system
The organization shall determine the boundaries and applicability of the environmental management system to establish its scope.
When determining this scope, the organization shall consider:
a) the external and internal issues referred to in 4.1;
b) the compliance obligations referred to in 4.2;
c) its organizational unit(s), function(s), and physical boundaries;
d) its activities, products and services;
e) its authority and ability to exercise control and influence.Once the scope is defined, all activities, products and services of the organization within that scope need to be included in the environmental management system.
The scope shall be maintained as documented information and be available to interested parties.
4.4 Environmental management system
To achieve the intended outcomes, including enhancing its environmental performance, the organization shall establish,
implement, maintain and continually improve an environmental management system,including the processes needed and their interactions,in accordance with the requirements
of this international standard.
The organization shall consider the knowledge gained in 4.1 and 4.2 when establishing and maintaining the environmental management system.
5. Leadership
5.1 Leadership and commitment
Top management shall demonstrate leadership and commitment with respect to the environmental management system by;
a) taking accountability for the effectiveness of the environmental management system;
b) ensuring that the environmental policy and environmental objectives are established and are compatible with the strategic direction and the context of the organization;
c) ensuring the integration of the environmental management system requirements into the organization's business processes;
d) ensuring that the resources needed for the environmental management system are available;
e) communicating the importance of effective environmental management and of conforming to the environmental management system requirements;
f) ensuring that the environmental management system achieves its intended outcomes;
g) directing and supporting persons to contribute to the effectiveness of the environmental management system;
h) promoting continual improvement;
i) supporting other relevant management roles to demonstrate their leadership as it applies to their areas of responsibility.
NOTE Reference to "business" in this International Standard can be interpreted broadly to mean those activities that are core to the purposes of the organization's existence.