ISO 14001 audit training

The purpose of the ISO 14001 standard is to provide organisations with a framework that responds to changing environmental conditions while balancing socio-economic needs. It specifies requirements that enable an organisation to achieve the intended outcomes it sets for its Environmental Management System (EMS).

To achieve compliance with the recommendations outlined in the standard, it is necessary to conduct audits at regular intervals. ISO 14001 has two main categories of audits, namely internal and external. Audits are crucial for becoming ISO certified and organisations require competent auditors to pass the two-stage registrar audit by an external party to become certified.

The article below will break down the different ways audits can be conducted in accordance with ISO 14001, and will go over internal, external and certification audits as well as the ISO 14001 audit training. Using ISO consulting services will help you to fully understand the ISO 14001 audit method.

The three methods of auditing

When talking about ISO 14001 certification, there are three ways through which audits can be conducted, including:

On-site audits

An on-site audit contains a detailed on-site review and report of a client location to determine the compliance with the best practices and estimating guidelines of ISO 14001.

The number of days needed to perform an on-site audit depends on several factors such as size, risk, complexity and nature of an organisation.

Remote audits

A remote audit is also known as an e-audit. Here, an auditor conducts an audit without being physically present at the site of the audited party. Online tools are utilised to share and obtain evidence, taking into account the requirements and regulations applicable to the audit. Such audits may be performed via Web meetings, teleconferencing or electronic verification. When talking about ISO 14001, remote audits are less common and typically not as frequent.

Self-audit

A self-audit is not necessarily the same as an internal audit. A self-audit can be requested by a customer of the organisation to eliminate the need for them to use their resources and still acquire assurance about the organisation’s compliance.

Audit types for iso 14001 certification

As mentioned above, the types of audits include internal, external and certification audits.

ISO 14001 internal audit

An internal audit is performed by the organisation. During an internal audit, a self-examination of the organisation’s EMS is performed on-site. Internal audits have many benefits including identifying noncompliances and preparing the organisation for external audits. The internal auditor must be independent, competent and unbiased to ensure objective results. Internal audits are a crucial requirement to ensure the success of the EMS. Internal audits are used to assess conformity, evaluate the effectiveness and identify opportunities for improvement.

ISO 14001 external audits

In contrast, external audits include customers, suppliers, certification and surveillance audits. A customer audit can be requested by an existing or a potential client where the organisation audits their standards to verify that they are meeting their requirements. If the audit is requested by and potential supplier, it is categorised as a supplier audit. Supplier audits can be done to ensure that the requirements around the control of external providers is being handled appropriately.

ISO 14001 certification audit

A certification audit is an audit that the organisation’s selected registrar will conduct to verify conformance against the ISO 14001 standard before issuing the official certificate. Certification audits are categorised into two stages where during the first stage, an audit is performed to determine the organisation’s readiness for the stage two audit. Oftentimes, stage one is conducted remotely in order to control additional costs on travel.

If the criteria for the stage one audit are met, the organisation proceeds to the stage two audit. Stage two audit is an on-site audit, where the auditor interviews the staff and reviews the documented information to verify that all ISO 14001 requirements are being met. Certification orders are typically conducted every three years.

After acquiring the certification, the registration body will periodically conduct surveillance audits. Surveillance audits verify that the organisation is still upholding its EMS and the ISO requirements. Surveillance audits are similar to certification audit, except that there is no issuing or reissuing of the certificate.

What is ISO 14001 audit training

Audit training are activities which focus on developing the capacity of the audit professional to deliver high-quality services. The training and continued professional development programmes are based on international standards issued by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB).

During an ISO 14001 audit training, professionals learn about the ten clauses of the standard. Additionally, they learn about the plan-do-act-check cycle which is the basis of the EMS.

Moreover, the professionals also learn about the seven key principles of environmental management namely polluter pays principle, user pay principle, precautionary principle, principle of responsibility, principal of effectiveness, principle of proportionality and principle of participation.You can get more information by reading the ISO 14001 audit checklist article.

How did auditing change under the last revision of ISO 14001

The most significant changes between the ISO 14001: 2004 and its latest update in 2015 are the addition of concepts of context of organisation, risk based thinking and new leadership requirements. During the audit, the auditor will evaluate if:

• The top management has set out the resources necessary for the successful implementation of the EMS.
• Has defined the external and internal issues under the context of the organisation segment.
• Utilised risk-based thinking when defining its environmental policies.

If you are planning to implement ISO 14001 and you don’t know where to start, we suggest you use the consulting services of the ISO Council.