Course Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
Provide participants with an understanding of the principles, practices, and techniques of environmental management auditing.
Equip participants with the skills to plan, conduct, and report on environmental audits.
Enable participants to assess compliance with legal, regulatory, and corporate environmental standards.
Teach participants how to identify environmental risks and opportunities for improvement through audits.
Foster an understanding of the importance of continuous improvement in environmental management systems.
Prepare participants to lead and manage internal and external environmental audits effectively.

Who Should Attend?
Industry professionals, environmental managers, compliance officers, and auditors responsible for implementing and overseeing environmental management systems (EMS) and compliance with environmental standards.

Prerequisite Courses
None

Course Overview
Day 1: Introduction to Environmental Management Systems and Auditing Principles

Overview of Environmental Management Systems (EMS) (ISO 14001, EMAS)

Importance of environmental auditing in organisational sustainability and compliance

Key principles and objectives of environmental audits

Types of environmental audits: internal, external, compliance, and risk-based audits

Role of auditors and key auditing skills

Outcome: Participants will be able to understand the purpose and scope of environmental management auditing and the foundational principles of EMS.

Day 2: Environmental Auditing Standards and Regulations

Key environmental legislation and regulations (national and international)

Introduction to ISO 14001 and environmental auditing standards (ISO 19011)

Legal and regulatory compliance in environmental audits

Risk-based approach to auditing

Industry-specific environmental standards and best practices

Outcome: Participants will gain knowledge of environmental regulations and standards relevant to their industry and apply them to auditing practices.

Day 3: Planning and Preparing for Environmental Audits

Steps for planning and scheduling an environmental audit

Developing audit objectives, scope, and criteria

Preparing audit checklists and audit plans

Collecting and reviewing background information (documents, records, environmental data)

Stakeholder engagement and communication during the audit process

Outcome: Participants will be able to plan and prepare for an audit, including setting objectives and gathering relevant information.

Day 4: Conducting an Environmental Audit

Audit techniques: document review, interviews, site inspections, sampling

On-site audit process: opening meetings, data collection, and analysis

Identifying non-conformities, risks, and areas of improvement

Assessing environmental performance indicators and compliance

Effective questioning and evidence-gathering techniques

Outcome: Participants will be able to conduct a thorough environmental audit using appropriate techniques to identify compliance and performance issues.

Day 5: Reporting, Follow-Up, and Continuous Improvement

Structuring and writing comprehensive audit reports

Providing clear and actionable recommendations for improvement

Communicating audit findings to stakeholders and management

Managing corrective actions and ensuring follow-up

Role of audits in driving continuous improvement and environmental performance

Outcome: Participants will be able to create detailed audit reports, communicate findings effectively, and manage follow-up processes to drive improvement

Learning Goal
Upon completion of this course, participants will:

Understand the structure and requirements of environmental management systems, including ISO 14001 and other relevant standards.

Be able to plan, design, and conduct an environmental audit effectively.

Identify non-conformities, risks, and opportunities for environmental improvement.

Prepare comprehensive audit reports with actionable recommendations.

Communicate findings and foster stakeholder engagement in environmental management.

Manage corrective actions and follow-up processes to ensure continuous improvement in environmental practices.

Course Materials
Lectures and presentations on EMS standards, audit planning, and regulations.
Case studies and group discussions to analyse real-world environmental audits.
Workshops on preparing audit plans, developing checklists, and conducting mock audits.
Interactive sessions to practice audit interviews, inspections, and data analysis.