Environmental Audit For Business
Paul Downing
I get asked on a regular basis if we can help with an “environmental audit”, of course the answer is yes but my question is always what “type” of environmental audit do you need?
Over the years, like all businesses the environmental consultancy market has matured and diversified and there a broad range of environmental consultants offering a bewildering array of environmental consultancy and environmental audit services.
Most often the audit requested is of the “where are we now” type designed to put a stake in the sand and document the operational performance of a business but occassionally it is a specific audit designed to look at a specific environmental aspect of a business or operation. Benchmark audits are nothing new and are usually management system type audits as applied to:
- environmental management systems (ISO 14001)
- energy management systems (ISO 50001)
- operational legal compliance
- environmental due diligence
- benchmark audits
specific audits relating to environmental permits and regulation tend to be of the type relating to:
- contaminated land
- energy efficiency
- waste management
- air quality
- noise levels
- Ecology
of course there may be overlap between these but in most cases there is a particular driver for the audit that dictates the scope. Scope is of over-riding importance when planning an environmental audit as it determines the boundaries both physical and organisational of the work plan
Before looking to conduct an “environmental audit” ask yourself these four questions
- What am I aiming to achieve?
- What am I aiming to measure?
- How do I want the output measured and documented?
- What is the “scope” of the audit? i.e. what is in and what is out in terms of my business?
For further advice on benchmarking your business with a view to enhancing environmental or energy performance, please do not hesitate to contact us direct on 07790147084