What is ISO 14001 Environmental Audit?
Accreditation of an organisations environmental management systems (EMS) against the recognised International standard for an EMS.
Who is it for?
Organisation’s within any sector (of any size) who require certification by external body of their EMS to the recognised international standard.
The ISO 14001 standard can be applied to any business (regardless of size or complexity) and has been designed to take a proactive approach to managing environmental issues and improving performance.
Why the audit is right for your organisation
- Improved management of environmental risk
- Reduces waste, energy, water and other raw material use
- Reduced emission and discharges
- Competitive edge in tender applications
- Engages stakeholders and can attract ethical investment
- Improve corporate responsibility and promote sustainability
- External recognition of EMS to the recognised international standard
- Demonstration to stakeholders and other interested parties (including regulatory bodies) of commitment toward environmental management and responsibility
Next steps
Prerequisites
None
The audit at a glance
Assessment of systems and operational effectiveness of EMS to a recognised standard.
How does it work?
- On site review of relevant documentation
- Interviews / discussions with relevant stakeholders
- Operational sampling
- The audit can be carried out in two stages (see below) or alternatively in a “one off” initial compliance audit visit
Stage one audit: This is primarily a document review of the environmental management system to ensure the requirements of the standard are in place. Dependent upon the outcome of this stage, the auditor will recommend and agree the schedule and date for the stage two audit.
Stage two audit: This will involve a review and completion of any non-conformances identified within the stage one process, together with a sampling of effective implementation of the systems in accordance with the ISO 14001 standard.
What your organisation will receive from the audit
- Summary report
- Certification to standard
Why you should choose the British Safety Council
Our audit and consultancy services are internationally recognised and are the best way to ensure your health, safety and environmental management systems (and associated arrangements) are suitable for your business requirements, promote continual improvement and are effectively implemented.
As part of our own quality control processes, we ensure:
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Our audit and consultancy products are regularly reviewed to meet customer needs, expectations and sector best practice
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Consistently high standards of service are achieved through a robust quality assurance process including auditor standardisation, training and performance monitoring
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Our technical specialists serve on strategic committees for occupational health, safety and environmental standards
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We have a unique internationally recognised best practice (five star) audit process
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Industry recognition from awards such as the prestigious Sword or Globe of Honour
What to do next
FAQs
Here is a list of common questions that people ask us. If you can’t find what you’re looking for please email [email protected] or call us on +44 (0)20 8741 1231.
What consultancy services do you offer?
Our health and safety and environmental consultancy services are based entirely on customer needs and involve one of our experts helping to support improvements in performance in general or more specific areas (for example: risk assessments, training needs analysis, legionella surveys, asbestos management, permit to work processes, strategic planning, culture surveys, etc.)
What audits does the British Safety Council offer?
We currently offer a range of audit products and services including our best practice Five Star Wellbeing Audit, Five Star Occupational Health and Safety, Five Star Environmental and Five Star Integrated audits. We also offer certification audits to the ISO 14001 (2015) standards and the ISO 45001 standard (when issued). A bespoke sector-specific systems review service (safety and environmental) is also available and provides a baseline indication of how effectively your safety, health and/or environmental systems are being implemented across multiple sites or within specific departments.
Five Star Occupational Health and Safety Audit - what is it?
Our Five Star Audit is an internationally recognised, quantified and comprehensive audit process used by organisations to compare their health and safety management system against best practice technique and current trends.
Five Star Occupational Health and Safety Audit - what is changing?
The current specification continues to offer you the opportunity to progress toward a best practice occupational health and safety management system(s) and the business benefits this can produce. The specification aligns best practice safety management indicators (including leadership and stakeholder engagement) against a Plan - Do - Check - Act management model.
As part of the British Safety Council’s commitment to the continual product-improvement, together with a recognition of recent developments in legislative and safety management trends, our five-star audit specification(s) are reviewed on an annual basis.
Five Star Environmental Audit - what is it?
Our Five Star Environmental Audit is an internationally recognised audit process used by leading organisations to compare their environmental performance against best practice and current trends.
What is the Sword of Honour?
The Sword of Honour is an award scheme available to organisations that have achieved a five-star rating in our Five Star Occupational Health and Safety Audit. A separate award process is independently adjudicated and only those submissions from five star organisations, which meet defined criteria, are awarded the sword of honour status. A true recognition of excellence in health and safety management.
What is the Globe of Honour?
The Globe of Honour is an award scheme available to organisations that have achieved a five-star rating in our Five Star Environmental Audit. A separate award process is independently adjudicated and only those submissions from five star organisations, which meet defined criteria, are awarded the globe of honour status. A true recognition of excellence in environmental management.
ISO 45001 - What is it?
A new international health and safety standard management system standard that is expected to eventually replace BS OHSAS 18001. ISO 45001 reflects contemporary health and safety management requirements and is currently due to be published in late 2017.
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Five Star Environmental Sustainability Audit
The Five Star Environmental Sustainability Audit aims to support and improve the environmental sustainability performance of your business by examining your policies, processes and practices and recommending improvements.
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Five Star Integrated Audit
Our Five Star Safety, Health and Environmental (ISHE) Audit provides an integrated audit process, which combines all the features and primary components of the Five Star Occupational Health and Safety and Environmental Audit into one product.
ISO 45001 Health and Safety Management Standard
We offer certification to the global health and safety management system standard.