ISO 14001:2015 Clause 5.2 requires the organization to have what?

ISO 14001:2015 Clause 5.2 specifically addresses the requirement for an organization to establish, implement, and maintain an environmental policy. This policy serves as a formal declaration of the organization's commitment to improve its environmental performance and meet applicable legal and other requirements. It outlines the overall intentions and direction of the organization related to its environmental aspects and is essential for guiding its actions and decisions in environmental management.

The environmental policy must be appropriate to the nature, scale, and environmental impacts of the organization's activities, products, or services. It also plays a crucial role in ensuring that the organization sets environmental objectives and provides a framework for action to achieve continual improvement in its environmental performance. Having a robust environmental policy is fundamental for meeting the ISO 14001 standard and is a cornerstone of effective environmental management systems.

While internal audits, sustainability reports, and compliance officers are important components of an organization's environmental management practices, they do not fulfill the specific requirement outlined in Clause 5.2 regarding the establishment of an environmental policy. Therefore, the emphasis on developing and maintaining an environmental policy makes this option correct.