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UNIT 4: ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
• Is information on environment performance communicated to
employees?
• Are there adequate procedures for corrective action?
• Are environment practices integrated into daily operations?
• Is environment performance being monitored and documented?
• Does there appear to be a commitment to continuous improvement?
• Is the environment management system well implemented?
The best evidence of good implementation is the level of environment improvement.
Other evidence can be found in resource and material use records, data sheets on
waste and emissions, training instruction sheets, visitor comments, fines imposed,
accident records, and equipment maintenance records.
• Is the environment management system sufficient to achieve
objectives and targets? The best evidence of this is the variance
between actual environment performance and the set objectives and
targets.
Audit Procedures
The following audit procedures are based on the recommendations of ISO 14011:
• Determine the objectives of the audit and which sites and activities are
to be audited. This is especially important for larger businesses, where
several offices and operating sites may need to be audited;
• Establish priority areas and issues of confidentiality;
• Start with an opening meeting at which the scope, objectives and
procedure of the audit are confirmed and the necessary resources
obtained;
• Carry out the audit in consultation of environment performance
monitoring documents (described earlier), interviews and site visits;
• Assess information quality – best done by comparing recorded
performance data with results of interviews and observations made
during site visits;
• Compile the findings into an audit report;
• Present the audit report to company management and the environment
management team at a closing meeting.
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4.2 Reporting on Environment Performance
A corporate environment report communicates to all stakeholders the company’s
environment performance over a given period. It is a key indicator of the
business’s environment commitment and an important tool for building dialogue
and communication with local communities, legislators and non-government
organisations.
Corporate environment reports detail the results of the EMS. They also catalyse
environment action across the company, validate the efforts of environment
managers and increase support for environment improvement.
The target audiences for information on corporate environment performance
include employees, shareholders, legislators, customers, bankers, insurers, local