ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT

Environmental audits are intended to quantify environmental performance and environmental position.

In this way they perform an analogous (similar) function to financial audits. An environmental audit
report ideally contains a statement of environmental performance and environmental position, and may
also aim to define what needs to be done to sustain or improve on indicators of such performance and
position.
Environmental auditors can get certified through written exam and acceptance of the Environmental
Auditor Association code of ethics. Depending on the nature of the audit, there are several different
designations to choose from. CECAB administers these designations.

GUIDELINES ON ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT

The cost of failing an environmental/quality management systems audit can take a number of forms:
companies can lose valuable contracts or prized certifications; they may have to pay for an expensive
range of improvements demanded by a client; they may experience and erosion of efficiency; etc.

BS EN ISO 19011: 2002 therefore offers guidelines for quality and/or environmental management
systems auditing. It is intended that by using this new standard, organizations can save time, effort and
money by:

 Avoiding confusion over the objectives of the environmental or quality audit program.
 Securing agreement of the goals for individual audits within an audit program.
 Reducing duplication of effort when conducting combined environmental/quality audits.
 Ensuring audit reports follow the best format and contain all the relevant information.
 Evaluating the competence of members of an audit team against appropriate criteria.

Whatever the reason for the audit, however (e.g.: certification, internal review, contract compliance,
etc) it is intended that organizations can move efficiently through the process by applying the guidelines.

FOUR RESOURCES
Within one single standard there are now four critical decision/support resources for the efficient
planning, conduct and evaluation of quality and/or environmental audits:

 A clear explanation of the principles of management systems auditing.

 Guidance on the management of audit program.
 Guidance on the conduct of internal or external audits.
 Advice on the competence and evaluation of auditors.
QUALITY AUDIT
Quality audit is the process of systematic examination of a quality system carried out by an internal or
external quality auditor or an audit team. It is an important part of organization's system and is a key
element in the ISO quality system standard, ISO 9001.
Quality audits are typically performed at predefined time intervals and ensure that the institution has
clearly-defined internal system monitoring procedures linked to effective action. This can help
determine if the organization complies with the defined quality system processes and can involve
procedural or results-based assessment criteria.
With the upgrade of the ISO9000 series of standards from the 1994 to 2008 series, the focus of the
audits has shifted from purely procedural adherence towards measurement of the actual effectiveness
of the Quality Management System (QMS) and the results that have been achieved through the
implementation of a QMS.

GUIDELINES ON QUALITY AUDIT

Following are the guide lines of quality audit:
• Significance and value of matters addressed in its audits;
• Objectiveness and fairness in the basis of assessments made and opinions given;
• Scope and completeness in the planning and performance of audits carried out;
• Reliability and validity of the opinions, or findings and conclusions, appropriateness of the
recommendations and relevance of other matters presented in its audit reports and other
products;
• Timeliness of the issue of audit reports and other products in relation to statutory
deadlines and the needs of anticipated users;
• Clarity in the presentation of audit reports and other products;
• Efficiency in the performance of audits and audit-related work; and
• Effectiveness in terms of results and impacts achieved.
In pursuit of this goal, an SAI should establish policies, systems and procedures that will encourage
actions leading to high quality and discourage or prevent actions that might impair quality. These
quality controls should be developed and implemented with respect to all phases of the audit process,
including:
• Selecting matters for audit;
• Deciding the timing of the audit;
• Planning the audit;
• Executing the audit;
• Reporting the audit results; and
• Follow-up and evaluation of audit findings, conclusions and recommendations.