Environmental Audits (EA)
Assess the environmental operations and procedures (for businesses, governments, or utility companies) to ensure compliance with environmental standards and suggest corrective measures accordingly
Type
Domain
Competency Area
Environmental Impact Management
Levels
Collects baseline information on organisation
Gathers information on the four stages of an environmental audit, (pre-audit procedures, post-audit procedures, on-site inspection and final reporting)
Lists questions for pre-audit questionnaires to gather baseline information on management processes
Outlines compliance discrepancies/issues with the integrated management systems in the post-audit draft report
Schedules meetings with project/activity senior leadership for on-site inspection (setting up the audit team, scope, objectives, approach, methodology, etc.)
Synthesizes management processes
Identifies inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs for each of the four stages of an environmental audit
Assesses management systems related to environmental practices of the organisation, based on the pre-audit questionnaire
Conveys follow-up/remedial actions required to resolve any discrepancies flagged in the post-audit draft report
Investigates documentation reviewed on-site to gather audit evidence (management policy, management system documentation, operational procedures, records, etc.)
Performs assessments to capture discrepanciess
Applies key terms and concepts of four stages of an environmental audit to assess stakeholder needs and expectations
Evaluates risk assessments for environmental factors (waste management, energy efficiency, etc.)
Investigates the management processes through desk-top or in-person review to confirm that corrective actions have been implemented
Conducts detailed on-site inspections to document the processes of the organisation (compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements, conformance with internal policies, etc.)
Develops confirmation tools for corrective action
Advocates for quality standards and processes based on stakeholder needs and expectations for each stage of an environmental audit
Develops tools and methodologies to synthesise information and documents collected in the pre-audit stage (environment risk assessment, green accounting, life cycle analysis, etc.)
Prepares conformance letter suggesting if the gaps/discrepancies were satisfactorily addressed
Conduct staff interviews on-site to gauge gaps in actual practices (current and past), compliance with/or deviation from statutory and departmental requirements
Promotes compliance with national and global standards
Cultivates compliance with national environmental laws under the Ministry of Environment & Forests at each stage of the audit
Presents detailed pre-audit report providing information on existing quality standards towards environmental compliance
Promotes the use of global environmental audit tools and mechanisms accredited to international standards (BSCI, Sedex, ICS, RJC, etc.)
Presents the final audit report detailing the recommendations on whether the organisation requires a clean-up/suggestive corrections