The risk of the organization’s business activities causing a potential or actual adverse effect on people, the environment (air, water, land, other natural resources) or other living organisms as a result of some form of environmental contamination, emission or discharge.

The events giving rise to environmental risk can be as a result of the organization’s normal business operations, an error or malfunction, a failure of controls, a deliberate act, or the resultant act of another event (act of nature or man-made).