An environmental management system (EMS) is a tool that can be used by any type of organisation to help them improve their overall environmental performance. By using such a tool, organisations can assess their business’ strengths and weaknesses, identify and manage their significant impacts, save money by increasing efficiency, comply with environmental legislation and provide benchmarks for improvements. All Environmental Management Systems are based around the cycle of: planning what needs to be done, acting on these plans, checking that plans have been acted upon and are effective, and acting to make further improvements [1]. Internal environmental auditing is one aspect of an environmental management system that is used to demonstrate improvements in environmental performance, identify environmental improvements, and recommend areas of improvement [2]. This article will take a closer look at environmental auditing, including the auditing process itself, as well as taking into consideration its potential advantages.
Environmental Auditing
Internal environmental audits are the regular inspection and comparison of your business’ actual operating methods (either a procedure or an area of operation) against those specified in your environmental management system (EMS) manual in order to assess its effectiveness [3]. When carrying out an internal environmental audit of your organisation, it is important that you check: rules and procedures written down are complied with; employees understand their environmental role; environmental data measured are within the limits defined internally by the company; operations are carried out in accordance with the environmental policy; environmental action plans are progressing.
When carrying out an internal environmental audit, you should take into consideration the following environmental issues: solid waste disposal; gas emissions; solvent management; liquid effluent discharge and treatment; energy management; materials storage; occupational hygiene; chemical handling; noise; environmental programmes; pollution control
The Auditing Process
An internal environmental audit should consist of a pre-audit stage, an audit stage, and a post-audit stage. In the pre-audit stage it is important to set clear overall goals, objectives and priorities as well as selecting an appropriate team to ensure professional competence. In the audit stage itself it is important to use a systematic approach, review all relevant documents and policies, conduct interviews to gain sufficient knowledge, as well as inspecting the site of the audit itself. In the post-audit stage it is important to evaluate the overall findings of the audit. You should write professional reports to show these findings with possible recommendations as well as prepare a well structured action plan and follow up strategy.
Recommended Systematic Approach:
- Plan the audit – decide which area, process or procedure you are going to audit according to the plan. Speak to the manager responsible to ensure that resources will be available and that there is no conflict with operational requirements
- Prepare checklists – read through the procedures applicable to that area and then prepare an internal audit form
- Obtain and review any necessary background documentation
- Review your EMS documentation
- Conduct and document the audit – ask questions and observe. Record the replies and your observations on your audit form immediately. Try to carry out your audit when people are carrying out the process or working in the areas being audited
- Identify and summarise all non-conformances and observations
- Request corrective action – write down your suggestions and obtain agreement from the person responsible for the area being audited
- Complete any administrative tasks
- State the date for the next audit [4].
Advantages of Internal Environmental Audits
- Reduce the overall environmental impact of an organisation/environmental problems and risks can be anticipated and responses planned.
- Reduce an organisations annual water, waste and energy costs.
- Ensure compliance, not only with laws, regulations and standards, but also with company policies and the requirements of an Environmental Management System (EMS) standard.
- Organisations can demonstrate that they are aware of their environmental impact through providing appropriate feedback.
[1] http://www.esci.keele.ac.uk/greeningbusiness/outlines/ems.htm
[4] http://www.snh.org.uk/publications/on-line/advisorynotes/45/45.htm
