Environmental audits

Environmental audits are intended to quantify environmental performance and environmental position. In this way they perform an analogous 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 designation.

==ISO 14001 and evaluating evidence to determine whether specified environmental activities, events, conditions, management systems or information about these matters confirms with audit criteria, and communicating the results of this process to the client. (Mattsson and Olsson p.177)

Three types

Mattsson and Olsson (p. 178) say that there are three types of audit:

* 1. Liability audit
* 2. A management audit
* 3. A functional audit (sometimes called an activity or issues audit)

Liability audits assess compliance with legal obligations. Management audits verify that an Environmental Management Strategy meets its stated objectives. An activity audit may investigate a specific area such as energy or water use.