DIN SPEC 35811:2014-08

In times of increasing influence on businesses by challenges such as global change, financial crisis, climate change or demographic change, it is crucial for organizations and companies to take these phenomena into account within their strategic planning and decision-making processes. Appropriate adaptation is necessary. Only companies or organizations that adapt to future developments and that are flexible are able to implement sustainable decision-making and ensure their economic success. The scenario method is an appropriate means of assisting companies, but also public and private sector organizations, in identifying and evaluating the whole system of external influences and deriving appropriate strategies for adaptation. This PAS offers companies guidelines for dealing with and adapting to the impacts of climate change and further challenges. Within the scenario process, which was developed by the Chair of Environmental Management and Accounting of Technische Universität Dresden, companies identify future challenges that might shape their business, such as climate change, demographic change, or technological change. They develop possible pictures of the future, based on these, derive potential adaptation measures. In this multistep process, the companies are optionally accompanied by consultants. The process itself can be implemented either individually or within a group of companies. Furthermore, this document is related to the ISO 14000 standard series on environmental management systems, especially DIN EN ISO 14001.