Concept and definition

The concept of nuclear security culture continues to be the subject of debate and clarification, despite IAEA's efforts to arrive at a mutually acceptable definition and concept. Most experts agree that nuclear security culture is part of the overall organizational and professional culture in the industry or at specific facilities, which, in turn, is a function of the overall culture, tradition, and historical background in a country

One of the most recognized authorities on organizational culture is Edgar Schein's seminal work Organizational Culture and Leadership, 3d ed. (San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2004). Schein's definition of organizational culture is considered to be one of the most comprehensive, and it reads that a culture is

“a pattern of shared basic assumptions that the group learned as it solved its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, that has worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems.”

IAEA's efforts to work out a definition of nuclear security culture originates in many ways from similar work done in 1980s and 1990s on nuclear safety culture. IAEA's International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group report defines nuclear safety culture as the

"assembly of characteristics and attitudes in organizations and individuals that, as an overriding priority, nuclear power plant safety issues receive the attention warranted by their significance."

One of the more recent concepts and definitions of nucelar security culture came from CITS/UGA report "Nuclear Security Culture: the Case of Russia," stating that the concept can be characterized by

• the degree to which all personnel, from senior managers and supervisors down to the most junior operators, are aware of and committed to widely understood security requirements and best practices
• the degree to which available and affordable security technology is put to use, kept in good working condition, and improved
• the degree to which security regulations and procedures are implemented and personnel are motivated to accomplish their security-related tasks

However, many experts believe that there are both overlaps and inherent contradictions in the goals, objectives and elements of safety and security cultures, which warrant different approaches, or even do not allow for separation of the two concepts.

Regardless of the various opinions, it is clear that the sooner the international community has a working operational definition of nuclear security culture, the more effective will be the efforts to secure and protect nuclear and radioactive materials and sources.