Environmental Audit Report
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Environmental Audit Report Overview
A QIMA environmental audit report provides you with an objective third-party evaluation of your manufacturer’s environmental performance, and a corrective action plan aimed at improving it. Our environmental audit reports include an overview of the findings, detailed description of each inspection point, and corresponding images. All QIMA environmental audits conform to the ISO 14001 standard (performance evaluation guidelines for environmental management systems).
The ISO 14001 family of standards addresses a wide range of items for environmental management, providing practical tools for organizations and companies looking to identify and control their environmental impact. We also assess factory compliance with local laws and regulations for environmental protection. The ISO 14001 family of standards includes:
- Legal requirements and risk assessment
- Environmental management system
- Solid and hazardous wastes
- Waste water
- Air emissions
- Energy use, water use, CO2 emissions
What an Environmental Audit Report Means for Your Brand
An environmental audit and corrective action plan will help you maintain environmental compliance throughout your supply chain and protect your brand’s reputation. Ensure that the factories you work with are operating legally under local laws and ISO 14001 best practices, and reinforce your image as an environmentally-conscious brand.
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View a Sample Environmental Audit Report

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This environmental audit report example illustrates what your environmental audit report should look like - and is a usable and customisable template for your own use.
Environmental audit reports provide construction, mining, oil and gas and other industrial companies with an objective 3rd party evaluation of your environmental performance.
The goal of this environmental audit and the resulting report is to highlight areas where your company could improve for environmental and general performance improvements. If there is room for improvement (there always is), then the 3rd party of company's internal environmental teams or management will create a corrective action plan or action plan steps which they intend to make in the short, medium and long term to address any of these shortfalls.
A comprehensive and proper environmental audit report covers a number of environmental categories including:
- Waste management
- Water management
- Energy management
- Resource and material use
- Conclusions
- Action plan
Your environmental audit report will likely need to conform to certain standards such as the ISO 14001 standard.
You can use and customise this environmental audit report example, which when used and actioned correctly, will help you maintain environmental compliance throughout your activities and projects and protect the environment as well as your company's performance and reputation.
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- Store and manage your environmental audit reports in the cloud, where they are secure and always findable.
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How to Write a Good Audit Report: 4 Key Resources to Follow

Want to learn how to write a good audit report that is digestible and effective at motivating stakeholder action? Elevate your next audit report with our reporting resources package, with proven tactics to boost clarity and business impact.
What Is Considered a Good Audit Report?
A good internal audit report is one that clearly communicates the objectives, scope, and findings of an audit engagement, and in doing so, motivates its readers to take internal audit’s recommended actions.

What Should Be in an Audit Report?
Content matters when learning how to write a good audit report. Our understanding of audit report contents is based on The IIA Standard 2410 - Criteria for Communications. In the internal auditing standards, we are told what the report must and should contain. Since we are all working from the same auditing standards, audit reports have a basic structure that most internal auditors follow. The audit report generally includes the following elements:
- Scope and objectives (must).
- Results (must).
- Recommendations and action plans (must).
- Conclusions (must).
- Opinion (should).
- Acknowledgment of satisfactory performance (encouraged).
The report typically starts with a description of the scope and objectives. This section of the report establishes what the audit was about, why the audit risk areas mattered to management, and what the team included in the audit.
Next, the report details the issues that were found in the results section. For most audit departments, the issues, recommendations, and action plans are combined for each of the issues noted.
The conclusions section of the report allows the audit team a chance to make comments that extend beyond the individual issues in the results section. The conclusion section is also where most reports include the internal auditor’s opinion. The end of the report is a good opportunity to include a positive note acknowledging areas where management did well.
How Do You Write a Good Audit Report?
A good internal audit report conveys a clear message to the reader. Looking back at The IIA Standard 2410, the guidance is written about communication, not reporting. If we are writing a report as a communication tool, then the report should be free of judgment, written in a tone that appeals to the reader instead of making accusations. Audit reports should be brief and to the point. Norman Marks once said, “The length of the audit report, if one is even needed, should be just enough to tell the consumers of the report what they need to know – and no more.” The report should also steer clear of any jargon since the report may go to external parties. As long as the focus remains on communicating with management about the risks and control environment in the area that was audited, you will write a good report.
We’ve collected four of our top resources on how to write a good audit report from our Audit Management Playbook , including Tips for Writing an Effective Executive Summary, 10 Best Practices for Writing a Digestible Audit Report, and the Audit Reporting Checklist — and you can download the full Audit Management Playbook below.
4 Tips for Writing an Effective Executive Summary
The first step to writing a great audit report is ensuring its contributors understand the desired outcome of the report. For an audit report to make an impact on the business, it must motivate leadership to act upon internal audit’s recommendations.

1. Know Your Readers
Understand who will receive the report. The executive summary should give an overview of the detailed report that resonates with every executive officer who reads it, so it is important to understand your organization’s culture. Some organizations may be more cross-functionally collaborative, while others will be more compliance-oriented. Not every stakeholder will be a technical subject matter expert. For example, if your report is going to the CFO and you have IT audit findings, make sure that you don’t have to be an IT expert to understand what the issue is.
2. Cut the Fluff
The executive summary should be 1-2 pages. Aim for brevity as much as possible. Consider the best way to summarize each point, as there will be more takeaways in the detailed report. Wherever possible, use numbers and percentages to help drive points home. Eliminate any unnecessary descriptive adjectives and adverbs.
3. Explain It to the Company
Whether the audit report is presented to members from operations or IT, the executive summary should be written so that every individual can easily understand the terminology and sophistication level of the writing. A good rule of thumb is to try to explain every point in a way that all levels of experience and expertise at your company would understand.
4. Make It Digestible
For any key point, whether it is a big, scary finding or a positive one, bring the reader’s attention to the information as concisely as possible. Decide on your most important takeaways or messages, then leverage visual formatting to draw your audience’s eyes to each message.
Writing the Detailed Report
Depending on the audit, the expectations set during the opening meeting, and the findings, the contents of the detailed report may vary. If there were more findings and complexity in the audit than anticipated, you might need to include more detail.

The contents of the detailed report are as follows:
- Background or Overview of the Audit Area Reviewed.
- Scope Approach (what we looked at).
- Audit Period (what period was included).
- Findings Summary (positive findings; issues or problems).
- Detailed Observations (include the 5C’s: Criteria, Condition, Cause, Consequence, and Corrective Action Plans/Recommendations)
10 Best Practices for Writing a Digestible Audit Report

1. Reference Everything.
Avoid unverifiable claims and make sure to bridge any gaps of information by referencing where you obtained key facts and figures.
2. Include a Reference Section.
Use indices, appendices, and tables in this section is very helpful.
3. Use Figures, Visuals, and Text Stylization.
If you can put a number behind a fact or use a percentage to describe it, do so. Circle or highlight the key points you want to convey, as well as bold, underline, italicize, or use color to draw attention to key facts and figures. Use tables or graphs to summarize and draw attention to key trends or important data, wherever possible.
4. Note Key Statistics about the Entity Audited.
Noting key statistics about the entity audited in the Background/ Overview, if applicable, puts things in perspective and gives context and relevance to your audit findings.
5. Make a “Findings Sandwich.”
Layer a positive finding, followed by an issue, followed by a positive, and so on. Try to end the Findings Summary on a positive note.
6. Ensure Every Issue Includes the 5 C’s of Observations.
Criteria, Condition, Cause, Consequence, and Corrective Action Plans/ Recommendations.
7. Include Detailed Observations.
Detailed Observations are also a good place to include any additional facts and figures
8. Always Perform a Quality Assurance Check.
Seek someone who does not have a direct connection to the audit so they can provide fresh eyes. If possible, ask someone from the department or function audited to review the report as well.
9. Avoid Blame – State the Facts.
Aim to preserve the relationship with audit clients by being as objective as possible and avoiding blame. Simply state issues and recommended actions.
10. Be as Direct as Possible.
Avoid soft statements when making recommendations (such as “Management should consider…”) and opt for solid recommendations and calls to action instead.
Audit Reporting Checklist
To elevate your next audit report, follow our audit checklist on how to write a good audit report to ensure that it clearly communicates the objectives, scope, and findings of an audit engagement, and in doing so, motivates its readers to take internal audit’s recommended actions.

Looking for more resources to take your internal audit team to the next level? Download the full in-depth Audit Management Playbook below and get more best practices, checklists, and tools for each stage of the audit lifecycle — planning, fieldwork, reporting, issue management , and scaling audit practices.
Fill out the form below to get your free guide.

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How to Write an Audit Report
Last Updated: October 16, 2022 References Approved
This article was co-authored by Michael R. Lewis . Michael R. Lewis is a retired corporate executive, entrepreneur, and investment advisor in Texas. He has over 40 years of experience in business and finance, including as a Vice President for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. He has a BBA in Industrial Management from the University of Texas at Austin. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 25 testimonials and 87% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 432,277 times.
An audit report is the formal opinion of audit findings. The audit report is the end result of an audit and can be used by the recipient person or organization as a tool for financial reporting, investing, altering operations, enforcing accountability, or making decisions. An effective audit report is essential to making sure the results of your audit are presented in a way that is useful to the party receiving the audit.
Preparing to Write an Audit Report

- Illustrating non-conformities: The main goal of any audit report is to illustrate where the organization does not conform with whatever standard, rule, regulation or objective that it is supposed to. It is important to clearly identify the non-conformity, as well as the standard it does not conform to. It is then important to demonstrate which evidence you used to confirm the non-conformity. The goal is that each non-conformity will contain enough information so that the receivers of the audit report can change it. [1] X Research source
- Outlining positives: An audit report should not just include negatives. This is especially true for compliance reports, and operational audits. This allows the organization to focus on areas that are working and apply these to other areas. For example, if you are conducting a compliance audit to ensure an organization meets training requirements, you may say, "The audit reveals the current training program has exceeded requirements on-time and on-budget".
- Opportunities for improvement: Beyond indicating things that are not conforming to requirements (non-conformities), it is important to also indicate high-risk areas, or areas that may be in compliance but are at risk of eventually not complying, or could be improved. [2] X Research source

Tip: Make sure to define all the terms and abbreviations you use, as the standard forms of communication have potential to change.

- Financial Audit: This is the most commonly known form of audit and refers to the systematic review of a company's financial reporting to ensure all information is valid and conforms to GAAP standards.
- Operational Audit: An operational audit is a review of an organization's usage of resources to ensure those resources are being utilized as efficiently and effectively as possible to accomplish the mission and goals of the organization.
- Compliance Audit: A compliance audit is performed to determine if an organization or program is operating in according with laws, policies, regulations, and procedures.
- Investigative Audit: These are typically commissioned when there is an assumed violation of rules, regulations, or laws, and may involve a blend of all the previously mentioned types of audit.

- A clean opinion is used if an entity's financial statements are a clear representation of an entity's financial opinion.
- A qualified opinion is used when there were scope limitations on the auditor's work. Scope limitations are restrictions on the audit caused by the client or other events that do not allow the auditor to complete all aspects of his or her audit procedures.
- An adverse opinion is used if financial information was misstated.
- A disclaimer opinion can be triggered by several different situations. For example, the auditor may not be independent or there are concerns with the auditee. [4] X Research source
Beginning Your Report

- Provide perspective for the reader, giving a fair balance of the positive and negative results of the audit.
- Be precise, and avoid redundant phrasing and inexact terminology. In interest of clarity, opt for shorter sentences over longer ones. A limit of 15 to 18 words is recommended in business writing. Also, avoid intensifiers like clearly, special, key, and reasonable as these lack precision.
- Do not use passive voice. Passive voice can be difficult to read. Instead of saying "No irregularity of operation was found" say "The audit team found no evidence of irregularity."
- Use bullet points, which break up difficult information and make it clearer for the reader.
- Use gender neutral terms.
- Do not use audit buzzwords. Buzzwords are ambiguous, overused phrases like "generally improved," "significant risk," and "tighten controls."

- For example, if you are auditing the processes for a particular department of an organization, you may consider breaking the department up into several key sections and reporting findings that way.

- Why was the audit conducted?
- What was included and not included in the audit?
- What was the time period audited?
- What were the audit objectives? [6] X Research source

- A brief description of what was audited, objectives, scopes, and time periods.
- Statements of significant action plans.
- Overall statements of concerns and conclusions.
- Overall audit report rating. [8] X Research source
Writing Your Results and Recommendations

- Criteria is an explanation of management goals and the standards use to evaluate the program, function, or activity audited.
- Condition is how effectively department management is meeting goals and/or achieving standards. Goals can either be fully achieved, partially achieved, or not achieved.
- Cause is a statement on the reason things have gone well or poorly. Possibilities include inadequate procedures, procedures not being followed, poor supervision, or unqualified employees.
- Effect states the result of the conditions, in quantifiable terms. Is the effect increased risk or exposure? Is it monetary cost? Is it poor performance? This should be addressed when you cover effect. [10] X Research source

- Be positive. Focus on what is going right at the moment, and how the good aspects of the entity can be applied in ineffective areas.
- Be specific. Be very clear as to what specific aspects do not adhere to protocol, and to what concrete steps could be potentially implemented to ensure compliance.
- Identify who should act. Does the company need better employee performance or should management be picking up the pace? Make clear who needs to make changes.
- Keep recommendations brief. Be succinct - only include details that are necessary to your point. [11] X Research source

- Include a cover page. The cover page should be three or four lines, and outline the subject of the audit report and the type of audit.
- A memo should follow the cover page. The memo should be one or two short paragraphs overviewing who and what was audited, who has received or is receiving the report, and plans for future distribution.
- A table of contents follows the memo, and it contains a catalogue of chapters, page numbers, sections, and suggestions of the audit.
- The report should be written in plainly-worded, non-technical language and use proper grammar and paragraph organization.
- Reports are organized by chapters, each with a title, and by sections and subsections, each marked with a heading. Headings should go from general to more specific. [12] X Research source
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- ↑ http://www.qualitydigest.com/june07/articles/05_article.shtml
- ↑ https://www.cmu.edu/finance/audit-services/internal/types-of-audits.html
- ↑ https://www.icaew.com/-/media/corporate/files/helpsheets/technical/aaf-guides/audit-report-disclaimer-of-opinion.ashx
- ↑ https://pcaobus.org/oversight/standards/auditing-standards/details/AS3101
- ↑ https://audit.mit.edu/guidance-resources/what-expect/what-are-audit-ratings
- ↑ https://financialcrimeacademy.org/reporting-recommendations-and-findings/
- ↑ https://www.iiafiji.org/resources/bbc5020b-a5ab-4388-b633-83813515c797.pdf
- ↑ https://www.anao.gov.au/work/performance-audit/implementation-audit-recommendations
- ↑ https://www.wallstreetmojo.com/audit-report-format/
About This Article

To begin an audit report, write an "Introduction" that gives background information. Then, add a "Purpose and Scope Methodology" section that outlines your goals and explains what you included and excluded from your report. After this section, add your disclaimer, the "Statement on Auditing Standards," and end with your "Executive Summary." This summary should explain your findings, ratings, and any action that will be taken. Throughout the report, use concise language and bullet points. For tips from our Financial reviewer on what to include in different types of audits, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No
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Environmental Audit: Definition, Importance, Types, Benefits
Updated on August 11, 2021 · By Ahmad Nasrudin Tag: Corporate Social Responsibility , Environmental Audit

What’s it: An environmental audit is a systematic examination to assess a company’s environmental responsibility. It aims to identify environmental compliance, verify environmental responsibility implementation gaps whether they meet stated objectives, along with related corrective actions.
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The audit examines the potential hazards or risks posed by the company. Areas examined may include company environmental policies and procedures, energy use practices, recycling, waste, conservation, and pollution. Then, the company can use the results to determine what changes need to be made for compliance.
What is the importance of an environmental audit?
In a broad sense, environmental auditing aims to help protect the environment and minimize the risks of business activities to the environment and human safety and health. Whereas, in the company’s perspective, it aims to check whether the company has complied with the environmental regulations and requirements and achieved the previously set environmental goals.
Environmental audits are important for several reasons:
To build a good company reputation. Environmental audits can strengthen the company’s image. For example, although it may not be fully compliant, the improvement efforts made will be seen as a positive step by the public. And, if it is compliant, it can lead to positive publicity, encouraging the public not to hesitate to continue buying products from the company.
- Audits help businesses become more sustainable. It also creates new marketing opportunities with other consumers. For example, companies use formal recognition or accreditation as a tool to create preferences for the company’s products.
To avoid negative campaigns. Increasing external demands for environmental responsibility by pressure groups and environmental activists are forcing companies to check their compliance with environmental requirements. The increasing concern for the environment has made these demands more and more popular. If the company is not compliant, for example, they can campaign to boycott its products.
To adapt and comply with more stringent environmental regulations. Governments adopt more stringent environmental regulations and standards, usually by international consensus. It forces companies to comply if they do not want to be penalized.
Then, when done properly, a comprehensive environmental audit can uncover problem areas and provide recommendations for follow-up. So, the company can fix it before its reputation is destroyed and regulatory problems arise.
Finally, environmental audits have several objectives, including:
- Assess the company’s compliance with laws and regulations and other relevant requirements.
- Establish a performance basis for planning and developing an environmental management system.
- Promote good environmental management.
- Maintain credibility with the public.
- Raise awareness and enforce the company’s internal commitment to environmental policies.
- Minimize risk exposure from environmental issues to health and safety.
What do environmental auditors do?
Environmental auditors are responsible for examining and reviewing the company’s environmental policies and procedures. From the results obtained, and if they are not satisfactory, they then prepare protocols to implement better environmental policies and standards.
In addition to thoroughness, communication skills, report writing skills, and strong organizational skills, environmental auditors must also understand environmental management systems , including environmental management laws and ISO 14001.
Then, the environmental auditor’s duties can vary widely between jobs. That could include:
- Plan audit methodology and procedures.
- Check the company’s facilities and operational procedures, for example, by conducting field visits.
- Conduct interviews and meetings with key company people.
- Assess the company’s compliance with environmental regulations and guidelines set by the government and the company.
- Analyze audit documentation and data to prepare audit findings reports.
- Present audit findings.
The auditor may also have to make recommendations to correct nonconformities or improve the company’s environmental performance. They can also contribute to developing an action plan to implement the recommended changes.
What are the types of environmental audits?
Three main types of environmental audits:
- Environmental compliance audit – evaluates a company’s environmental performance and environmental responsibility practices, whether the company has complied with legal requirements and other requirements such as ISO 14001. It is usually the most comprehensive and, perhaps, the most expensive.
- Environmental management audit – verifies whether the company has met the environmental objectives, policies, and performance set by management.
- Functional environmental audit – focuses on one element or impact of a particular activity, such as wastewater management audits, materials, and air quality monitoring.
What are the benefits of an environmental audit?
Environmental audits and their results provide useful input to:
- Provide management with information about the management and performance of the company’s environment as input for making decisions,
- Identify risks related to environmental responsibility and take action to implement them,
- Ensure company operations comply with environmental laws and requirements and, if not, take necessary corrective actions,
- Identify environmental management system weaknesses before they cause problems,
- Develop organizational culture and increase environmental awareness among people within the company,
- Identify opportunities for improvement in environmental management and performance to drive increased efficiency and cost savings,
- Improve company transparency to stakeholders such as government, customers, and investors to support long term good relationships with them,
- Encourage positive publicity by publishing audit results, thereby enhancing the reputation and image of the company, and
- Develop marketing strategies and strengthen brand equity, encourage consumers to remain loyal to the company.

What are the limitations of an environmental audit?
While contributing to supporting environmental sustainability, there are some limitations to environmental audit, including:
- Audits can be time-consuming and expensive to perform and are therefore not suitable for small businesses with limited financial resources.
- Companies may simply take advantage of positive publicity without actually intending to be environmentally responsible.
- Internal audits can be biased and lead to a consistently good environmental record, but this is not the case.

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COPYRIGHT NOTICE — This document is intended for internal use. It cannot be distributed to or reproduced by third parties without prior written permission from the Copyright Coordinator for the Office of the Auditor General of Canada. This includes email, fax, mail and hand delivery, or use of any other method of distribution or reproduction. CPA Canada Handbook sections and excerpts are reproduced herein for your non-commercial use with the permission of The Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (“CPA Canada”). These may not be modified, copied or distributed in any form as this would infringe CPA Canada’s copyright. Reproduced, with permission, from the CPA Canada Handbook, The Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada, Toronto, Canada.
7040 Audit Conclusion Jul-2020 Last Reviewed : 03-Oct-2017 -->
This section presents the requirements pertaining to the audit conclusion. It provides guidance on the four types of conclusion that are possible to reach as well as guidance on what to consider when forming a conclusion. There is also a specific reference to how to form a special examination opinion, including the concept of significant deficiency.
CSAE 3001 Requirements
21. If an objective in this CSAE or a relevant subject-matter-specific CSAE cannot be achieved, the practitioner shall evaluate whether this requires the practitioner to modify the practitioner’s conclusion or withdraw from the engagement (where withdrawal is possible under applicable law or regulation). Failure to achieve an objective in a relevant CSAE represents a significant matter requiring documentation in accordance with paragraph 82 of this CSAE.
28. If the engaging party imposes a limitation on the scope of the practitioner’s work in the terms of a proposed direct engagement such that the practitioner believes the limitation will result in the practitioner disclaiming a conclusion on the underlying subject matter, the practitioner shall not accept such an engagement as an assurance engagement, unless required by law or regulation to do so. (Ref: Para. A156(c))
34. In some cases, law or regulation of the relevant jurisdiction prescribe the layout or wording of the assurance report. In these circumstances, the practitioner shall evaluate:
(a) Whether intended users might misunderstand the assurance conclusion; and
(b) If so, whether additional explanation in the assurance report can mitigate possible misunderstanding.
If the practitioner concludes that additional explanation in the assurance report cannot mitigate possible misunderstanding, the practitioner shall not accept the engagement, unless required by law or regulation to do so. An engagement conducted in accordance with such law or regulation does not comply with CSAEs. Accordingly, the practitioner shall not include any reference within the assurance report to the engagement having been conducted in accordance with this CSAE or any other CSAE(s) (see also paragraph 75).
48. If it is discovered after the engagement has been accepted that some or all of the underlying subject matter is not appropriate for an assurance engagement, the practitioner shall consider withdrawing from the engagement, if withdrawal is possible under applicable law or regulation. If the practitioner continues with the engagement, the practitioner shall express a qualified conclusion or disclaimer of conclusion, as appropriate in the circumstances. (Ref: Para. A89)
49. The practitioner shall consider significance when: (Ref: Para. A90-A98)
(b) Evaluating whether the underlying subject matter is free from significant deviation.
56. The practitioner shall consider whether individual deviations identified during the engagement (other than those that are clearly trivial) have characteristics, for example a root cause or a problematic pattern, that indicate the aggregate effect of individual deviations is likely to be significant. (Ref: Para A120)
65. If one or more of the requested written representations are not provided or the practitioner concludes that there is sufficient doubt about the competence, integrity, ethical values, or diligence of those providing the written representations, or that the written representations are otherwise not reliable, the practitioner shall: (Ref: Para. A140)
(a) Discuss the matter with the appropriate party(ies);
(b) Reevaluate the integrity of those from whom the representations were requested or received and evaluate the effect that this may have on the reliability of representations (oral or written) and evidence in general; and
(c) Take appropriate actions, including determining the possible effect on the conclusion in the assurance report.
68. The practitioner shall evaluate the sufficiency and appropriateness of the evidence obtained in the context of the engagement and, if necessary in the circumstances, attempt to obtain further evidence. The practitioner shall consider all relevant evidence, regardless of whether it appears to corroborate or to contradict the measurement or evaluation of the underlying subject matter against the applicable criteria. If the practitioner is unable to obtain necessary further evidence, the practitioner shall consider the implications for the practitioner’s conclusion in paragraph 69. (Ref: Para. A147-A153)
69. The practitioner shall form a conclusion about whether the underlying subject matter is free from significant deviation. In forming that conclusion, the practitioner shall consider the practitioner’s conclusion in paragraph 68 regarding the sufficiency and appropriateness of evidence obtained and an evaluation of whether identified deviations are significant, individually or in the aggregate. (Ref: Para. A5, A120 and A154-A155)
70. If the practitioner is unable to obtain sufficient appropriate evidence, a scope limitation exists and the practitioner shall express a qualified conclusion, disclaim a conclusion, or withdraw from the engagement, where withdrawal is possible under applicable law or regulation, as appropriate. (Ref: Para. A156-A158)
71. The assurance report shall be in writing and shall contain a clear expression of the practitioner’s conclusion about the underlying subject matter. (Ref: Para. A4, A159-A161)
72. The practitioner’s conclusion shall be clearly separated from information or explanations that are not intended to affect the practitioner’s conclusion, including any findings related to particular aspects of the engagements, recommendations or additional information included in the assurance report. The wording used shall make it clear that findings, recommendations or additional information is not intended to detract from the practitioner’s conclusion. (Ref: Para. A159-A161)
73. The assurance report shall include at a minimum the following basic elements:
(l) The practitioner's conclusion on the objective of the engagement: (Ref: Para. A2-A4, A176-A181)
(i) When appropriate, the conclusion shall inform the intended users of the context in which the practitioner's conclusion is to be read. (Ref: Para. A178)
(ii) In a reasonable assurance engagement, the conclusion shall be expressed in a positive form. (Ref: Para. A177)
(iv) The conclusion in (ii) or (iii) shall be phrased using appropriate words for the underlying subject matter and applicable criteria given the engagement circumstances.
(v) When the practitioner expresses a modified conclusion, the report shall contain:
a. A section that provides a description of the matter(s) giving rise to the modification; and
b. A section that contains the practitioner's modified conclusion. (Ref: Para. A181)
75. If the practitioner is required by law or regulation to use a specific layout or wording of the assurance report, the assurance report shall refer to this or other CSAEs only if the assurance report includes, at a minimum, each of the elements identified in paragraph 73.
76. The practitioner shall express an unmodified conclusion when the practitioner concludes:
(a) In the case of a reasonable assurance engagement, that the underlying subject matter complies, in all significant respects, with the applicable criteria; or
77. If the practitioner considers it necessary to communicate a matter other than those specifically related to the underlying the subject matter that, in the practitioner’s judgment, is relevant to intended users’ understanding of the engagement, the practitioner’s responsibilities or the assurance report, and this is not prohibited by law or regulation, the practitioner shall do so in a paragraph in the assurance report, with an appropriate heading, that clearly indicates the practitioner’s conclusion is not modified in respect of the matter.
78. The practitioner shall express a modified conclusion in the following circumstances:
(a) When, in the practitioner’s professional judgment, a scope limitation exists and the effect of the matter could be significant (see paragraph 70). In such cases, the practitioner shall express a qualified conclusion or a disclaimer of conclusion.
(b) When, in the practitioner’s professional judgment, there is a significant deviation in the underlying subject matter. In such cases, the practitioner shall express a qualified conclusion or adverse conclusion. (Ref: Para. A190)
79. The practitioner shall express a qualified conclusion when, in the practitioner’s professional judgment, the effects, or possible effects, of a matter are not so significant and pervasive as to require an adverse conclusion or a disclaimer of conclusion. A qualified conclusion shall be phrased to inform the intended users of the effects, or possible effects, of the matter to which the qualification relates. (Ref: Para. A187-A190)
80. If the practitioner expresses a modified conclusion because of a scope limitation but is also aware of a matter(s) that causes a significant deviation in the underlying subject matter, the practitioner shall include in the assurance report a clear description of both the scope limitation and the matter(s) that causes the significant deviation.
CSAE 3001 Application Material
A2. The practitioner in a performance audit describes in the report the objective of the engagement and the underlying subject matter so that the reader can understand and properly interpret the results. The wording of the objective would be determined by the circumstances of the engagement. For example, the objective for a performance audit may be to conclude whether the entity being audited has adequately managed a program so that the entity’s key responsibilities under that program have been met. The practitioner’s conclusion relates to the objective and scope of the engagement and follows logically from the description of the criteria and findings. If the engagement has more than one objective, the assurance report provides a conclusion on each objective.
A4. Where the underlying subject matter is made up of a number of aspects, separate conclusions may be provided on each aspect. All such separate conclusions do not need to relate to the same level of assurance. Rather, each conclusion is expressed in the form that is appropriate to either a reasonable assurance engagement or a limited assurance engagement. References in this CSAE to the conclusion in the assurance report include each conclusion when separate conclusions are provided.
A98. Concluding on the significance of the deviations identified as a result of the procedures performed requires professional judgment. For example:
- The applicable criteria for a performance audit for a hospital’s emergency department may include the speed of the services provided, the quality of the services, the number of patients treated during a shift, and benchmarking the cost of the services against other similar hospitals. If three of these applicable criteria are satisfied but one applicable criterion is not satisfied by a small margin, then professional judgment is needed to conclude whether the hospital’s emergency department represents value for money as a whole.
- In a compliance engagement, the entity may have complied with nine provisions of the relevant law or regulation, but did not comply with one provision. Professional judgment is needed to conclude whether the entity complied with the relevant law or regulation as a whole. For example, the practitioner may consider the importance of the provision with which the entity did not comply, as well as the relationship of that provision to the remaining provisions of the relevant law or regulation.
A120. “Clearly trivial” is not another expression for “not significant.” Matters that are clearly trivial will be of a wholly different (smaller) order of importance than significance determined in accordance with paragraph 49, and will be matters that are clearly inconsequential, whether taken individually or in aggregate and whether judged by any criteria of size, nature or circumstances. When there is any uncertainty about whether one or more items are clearly trivial, the matter is considered not to be clearly trivial.
A152. Whether sufficient appropriate evidence has been obtained on which to base the practitioner’s conclusion is a matter of professional judgment.
A155. The practitioner’s professional judgment as to what constitutes sufficient appropriate evidence is influenced by such factors as the following:
- Importance of a potential deviation and the likelihood of its having a significant effect, individually or when aggregated with other potential deviations, on the practitioner’s report.
- Effectiveness of the appropriate party(ies)’s responses to address the known risk of significant deviation.
- Experience gained during previous assurance engagements with respect to similar potential deviations.
- Results of procedures performed, including whether such procedures identified specific deviations.
- Source and reliability of the available information.
- Persuasiveness of the evidence.
- Understanding of the appropriate party(ies) and its environment.
A156. A scope limitation may arise from:
(a) Circumstances beyond the control of the appropriate party(ies). For example, documentation the practitioner considers to be necessary to inspect may have been accidentally destroyed;
(b) Circumstances relating to the nature or timing of the practitioner’s work. For example, a physical process the practitioner considers to be necessary to observe may have occurred before the practitioner’s engagement; or
(c) Limitations imposed by the responsible party or the engaging party on the practitioner that, for example, may prevent the practitioner from performing a procedure the practitioner considers to be necessary in the circumstances. Limitations of this kind may have other implications for the engagement, such as for the practitioner’s consideration of engagement risk and engagement acceptance and continuance.
A157. An inability to perform a specific procedure does not constitute a scope limitation if the practitioner is able to obtain sufficient appropriate evidence by performing alternative procedures.
A177. An example of a conclusion expressed in a form appropriate for a reasonable assurance engagement is: “In our opinion, the entity has complied, in all significant respects, with XYZ law.”
A178. It may be appropriate to inform the intended users of the context in which the practitioner’s conclusion is to be read when the assurance report includes an explanation of particular characteristics of the underlying subject matter of which the intended users should be aware. The practitioner’s conclusion may, for example, include wording such as: “This conclusion has been formed on the basis of the matters outlined elsewhere in this independent assurance report.”
A180. Forms of expression which may be useful for underlying subject matters include, for example, “in compliance with” or “in accordance with.”
A181. Inclusion of a heading above paragraphs containing modified conclusions, and the matter(s) giving rise to the modification, aids the understandability of the practitioner’s report. Examples of appropriate heading include “Qualified Conclusion,” “Adverse Conclusion,” or “Disclaimer of Conclusion” and “Basis for Qualified Conclusion,” “Basis for Adverse Conclusion,” as appropriate.
A187. The words “except for” are commonly used to indicate the matter(s) to which a qualification relates. However, other wording may be used to clearly indicate those matter(s).
A188. The term “pervasive” describes the effects on the underlying subject matter of deviations or the possible effects on the underlying subject matter of deviations, if any, that are undetected due to an inability to obtain sufficient appropriate evidence. Pervasive effects on the underlying subject matter are those that, in the practitioner’s professional judgment:
(a) Are not confined to specific aspects of the underlying subject matter; or
(b) If so confined, represent or could represent a substantial proportion of the underlying subject matter.
A189. The nature of the matter, and the practitioner’s judgment about the pervasiveness of the effects or possible effects on the underlying subject matter, affects the type of conclusion to be expressed.
A190. Examples of qualified and adverse conclusions and a disclaimer of conclusion are:
- Qualified conclusion (an example for limited assurance engagements with a significant deviation) – “Based on the procedures performed and the evidence obtained, except for the effect of the matter described in the Basis for Qualified Conclusion section of our report, nothing has come to our attention that causes us to believe that the entity has not complied, in all significant respects, with XYZ law.”
- Qualified conclusion (an example for reasonable assurance engagements with a significant deviation) – “We conclude that the entity increased the capacity of its facilities in a manner that meets its needs in the short term. However, the entity did not develop a long-term plan to ensure its capacity needs will be met in the future.”
- Adverse conclusion (an example for a significant and pervasive deviation for both reasonable assurance and limited assurance engagements) – “Because of the importance of the matter described in the Basis for Adverse Conclusion section of our report, the entity has not complied, in all significant respects, with XYZ law.”
- Disclaimer of conclusion (an example for a significant and pervasive limitation of scope for both reasonable assurance and limited assurance engagements) – “Because of the importance of the matter described in the Basis for Disclaimer of Conclusion section of our report, we have not been able to obtain sufficient appropriate evidence to form a conclusion on the on whether the entity has complied, in all significant respects, with XYZ law. Accordingly, we do not express a conclusion on such compliance.”
Financial Administration Act Requirements for Special Examinations
Section 139(1) An examiner shall, on completion of the special examination, submit a report on his findings to the board of directors of the corporation examined.
(2) The report of an examiner under subsection (1) shall include
(a) a statement whether in the examiner’s opinion, with respect to the criteria established pursuant to subsection 138(3), there is reasonable assurance that there are no significant deficiencies in the systems and practices examined; and
(b) a statement of the extent to which the examiner relied on internal audits.
Audits shall have a clear conclusion against the audit objective. [Nov-2016]
OAG Guidance
What the csae 3001 means for the audit conclusion.
The standard requires that the audit concludes against the audit objective and that the conclusion is clearly indicated in the audit report.
The standard also requires that the engagement leader supports the audit conclusion with sufficient appropriate evidence, and that he/she forms a conclusion about whether the subject matter is free from significant deviation (see OAG Audit 2020 Significance).
If the evidence shows that one or more of the audit criteria have not been met, then the engagement leader must use professional judgment to decide whether to express a “reservation” in the form of a qualified or an adverse conclusion, and explain the reason for the reservation in the audit report.
If the team has been unable to obtain sufficient appropriate evidence regarding an entity’s conformity with any of the audit criteria, we have a scope limitation. The standards require that the engagement leader expresses a qualified conclusion, disclaims a conclusion, or withdraws from the audit. A disclaimer of conclusion rarely occurs in the OAG’s performance audits and could not occur in special examinations.
The following diagram illustrate the steps set out in CSAE 3001 in forming the conclusion, with relevant paragraph numbers referenced.

How to form a conclusion
In forming conclusions, using their professional judgment, the auditors evaluate the sufficiency and appropriateness of the evidence obtained (see OAG Audit 7021 Evaluate sufficiency and appropriateness of audit evidence, and OAG Audit 1051 Sufficient appropriate audit evidence). They also assess the significance (see OAG Audit 2020 Significance) of the findings in relation to the audit objective. The conclusion should not be a summary of findings, but rather be a clear conclusion against the audit objective.
The conclusion has to be expressed using a positive form; for example, “The entity has complied, in all significant respects, with xyz . . .”
There are essentially four different types of conclusions that can be used in direct engagements:
- unmodified (clean) conclusion (“yes”);
- qualified conclusion (“yes, but” or “no, but”);
- adverse conclusion (“no”); and
- disclaimer of conclusion (when the audit team is unable to conclude due to lack of sufficient appropriate evidence).
Audit team members need to clearly communicate the type of conclusion in the audit report. They also need to use professional judgment in forming a conclusion ( OAG Audit 1042 Applying professional judgment). For example, the team may decide to qualify the conclusion when some parts of an entity’s performance are satisfactory while others are unsatisfactory. The conclusion can then contain an "except for" statement to disclose the deviations from satisfactory performance.
If it is an unmodified (clean) conclusion (“yes”) or an adverse conclusion (“no”), the audit team should echo the words of the audit objective(s) in the conclusion. In an adverse conclusion, the audit team should also ensure to have a very clear “no.” An adverse conclusion is used when the significance and extent of the deviations from satisfactory performance are pervasive. When performance is fully satisfactory or highly unsatisfactory, concluding against the overall objective may be straightforward and the audit report will reflect a completely positive or adverse conclusion, as appropriate.
A qualified conclusion (“yes, but” / “no, but”) should contain the following essential elements: (1) clear announcement of the conclusion with specific reference to the audit objective, (2) clear “placement” (“yes, but / no, but”), and (3) reason for the (“yes, but / no, but”). For example:
(1) We conclude that the Department of Widget Affairs administered its Widget program in accordance with the Widgets Act, (2) with some improvement required in communications. (3) In particular , Widget status reports need to be communicated from headquarters to regional offices sooner so that Widget officers in the field have up-to-date lists of fees to be charged.
The core of a clear overall audit report conclusion is a single key paragraph with a clear overall conclusion. In straightforward cases, the entire conclusion may only be one paragraph. In more complex cases (multiple auditees, not a clean conclusion, etc.), further explanatory paragraphs can be added if the conclusion is not self-evident. The conclusion should be in a separate section of the written audit report in order to make it clear to the readers that this is the conclusion of the audit, not a finding on a specific aspect of the audit or a recommendation (see OAG Audit 7030 Drafting the audit report).
If, despite best efforts, an audit team is unable to obtain sufficient appropriate evidence, it may report the available evidence and its limitations, but it cannot draw findings and conclusions from the evidence. If the OAG decides to report the matter, it would state it as a qualification to the conclusion—that the auditors could not evaluate part of the subject matter because of lack of evidence (i.e. scope limitation). When the lack of evidence is significant, the audit report will express a “disclaimer of conclusion” due to incapacity to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence.
If the audit team determines there is a scope limitation (which occurs when the team is unable to obtain sufficient appropriate evidence), it would either explain it in the conclusion using a qualified conclusion or a disclaimer of conclusion (as explained above).
Special examinations
Special examination opinion statement and conclusion. Consistent with sub-paragraph 139(2)(a) of the Financial Administration Act (FAA), each special examination report must include a statement on whether in the examiner’s opinion and based on the established criteria, reasonable assurance exists that there are no significant deficiencies in the Crown corporation’s systems and practices examined.
The special examination opinion statement serves as a basis for the conclusion against the audit objective and is included in the conclusion paragraph in the audit report.
The special examination conclusion can take one of the following forms:
Unmodified (clean) conclusion. In our opinion, based on the criteria established, there was reasonable assurance there were no significant deficiencies in the Corporation’s systems and practices that we examined. We concluded that the Corporation maintained its systems and practices during the period covered by the audit in a manner that provided the reasonable assurance required under section 138 of the Financial Administration Act.
Qualified conclusion (one significant deficiency). In our opinion, based on the criteria established, there was a significant deficiency in the Corporation’s [identify specific systems and practices named in report], but there was reasonable assurance there were no significant deficiencies in the other systems and practices that we examined. We concluded that, except for this significant deficiency, the Corporation maintained its systems and practices during the period covered by the audit in a manner that provided the reasonable assurance required under section 138 of the Financial Administration Act.
Qualified conclusion (two significant deficiencies). In our opinion, based on the criteria established, there were significant deficiencies in the Corporation’s [identify the two systems and practices named in report], but there was reasonable assurance there were no significant deficiencies in the other systems and practices that we examined. We concluded that, except for these significant deficiencies, the Corporation maintained its systems and practices during the period covered by the audit in a manner that provided the reasonable assurance required under section 138 of the Financial Administration Act.
Adverse conclusion. In our opinion, based on the criteria established, there were significant deficiencies in the Corporation’s systems and practices that we examined for corporate management and management of operations. As a result of the pervasiveness of these significant deficiencies, we concluded that the Corporation had not maintained its systems and practices during the period covered by the audit in a manner that provided the reasonable assurance required under section 138 of the Financial Administration Act.
Because the FAA prescribes the need to provide a statement of opinion on the systems and practices selected for examination, a disclaimer of conclusion is not an option for special examinations . In the special examination practice, the ability to report on a significant deficiency replaces the need to disclaim a conclusion. If, for example, there was an inability to obtain sufficient appropriate evidence related to one of the areas selected for examination, the engagement team would either opine that there is a significant deficiency in the specific area (i.e. it would issue a qualified conclusion) or, where the inability affects multiple areas, that there is no reasonable assurance that the corporation’s systems and practices selected for examination achieved the statutory control objectives (i.e. the team would issue an adverse conclusion).
The special examination report template prescribes where the opinion should be located in the audit report as well as the exact wording of the statement/conclusion to be used in the possible scenarios (unmodified, qualified, or adverse) (see OAG Audit 7030 Drafting the audit report).
What is a significant deficiency? The FAA prescribes the use of the words “significant deficiency” to be used in the opinion, but does not define what it is. The OAG considers a significant deficiency to have occurred when there is a significant deviation from criteria. A significant deficiency is reported when the systems and practices examined did not meet the criteria established, resulting in a finding that the Corporation could be prevented from having reasonable assurance that its assets are safeguarded and controlled, its resources are managed economically and efficiently, and its operations are carried out effectively.
Significance is judged in relation to the reasonable prospect of a matter influencing the judgments or decisions of a user of a special examination report. For example, factors that may influence the engagement team’s judgment on what is significant in a particular circumstance might include the potential public, legislative, economic, or environmental impact.
Clearly, the definition of “significant” is a matter of judgment and depends on the circumstances. Ultimately, one of the major deciding factors is the identified or potential impact of a deficiency.
Factors considered to determine if a significant deficiency exists. The engagement team may take the following factors into account when determining whether a finding constitutes a significant deficiency:
Extent of deviation from criteria. A finding should be clearly linked to criteria and, for it to be significant, there should be substantial deviation from criteria. Where there are deviations, the engagement team needs to establish whether there are compensating systems or practices to help achieve the desired result.
Impact of the deficiency. To be significant, the deficiency’s impact on achieving the corporation’s statutory control objectives should be clear, serious, and consequential. When selecting key systems and practices and developing criteria, considering the corporation’s exposure to risk will help trace the impact of any deficiencies subsequently identified. The impact may be potential; that is, the consequences may not have materialized yet.
Relevance to the board, the Minister, Parliament, or other users of the report. The engagement team should consider what is of interest and relevance to report users. If a finding is of little or no consequence to users, it may not be significant. What is relevant to report users are a finding’s impact (what it will mean to them) and cause (why it happened). Of course, there may be a difference of opinion between what the engagement team believes is relevant to users and the corporation’s views on the issue, in which case the examiner would report the deficiency as significant if convinced of its consequence to users.
Practicality of the solution. If the likely cost of correcting the deficiency is greater than the benefit to be derived, the deficiency’s significance may be questionable.
Number of reported deficiencies. Minor deviations from several criteria may signal minor problems, or may be symptoms of a problem (or theme) of greater significance that should be reported as a significant deficiency.
- Planned corrective actions. If the corporation has action plans in place or even in process to correct deficiencies that have been classified as significant, these deficiencies should still be included in the report as significant because they existed during the examination period and because there is no assurance that the planned actions will correct the problem or that the actions will continue after the report date.
How is a significant deficiency formulated? A significant deficiency must have a clear evidentiary link to a criterion. Problems often occur when the wording used to describe the deficiency is too general; for example, if the significant deficiency does not discuss the impact(s).
In order to be clear and meaningful, a significant deficiency should identify the problem, its cause, and its effect.
All reasoning behind the decision on the significance of a given deficiency must be documented in the examination file.
Related Sections
OAG Audit 1042 Applying professional judgment OAG Audit 1051 Sufficient appropriate audit evidence OAG Audit 2020 Significance OAG Audit 4041 Audit objective OAG Audit 7021 Evaluate sufficiency and appropriateness of audit evidence OAG Audit 7030 Drafting the audit report
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Review and improve your environmental management system (ems), how to conduct an environmental audit.
To ensure that your environmental management system (EMS) is properly set up and effectively maintained, you need to plan and carry out environmental audits. Each audit should consist of a planning stage, the audit itself and post-audit activities.
How to carry out an environmental audit
You should follow a systematic approach to your environmental audits:
- Plan the audit - decide which area, process or procedure you are going to audit according to the plan. Speak to the manager responsible to ensure that resources will be available and that there is no conflict with operational requirements.
- Prepare checklists - read through the procedures applicable to that area and then prepare an internal audit form.
- Obtain and review relevant background documents.
- Review your EMS documents.
- Conduct and document the audit - ask questions and observe. Record the replies and your observations on your audit form immediately - download an example internal environmental audit form (DOC, 56K) . Try to carry out your audit when people are carrying out the process or working in the areas being audited.
- Identify and summarise all non-conformances and observations.
- Request corrective actions - write down your suggestions and get agreement from the person responsible for the area being audited.
- Complete any administrative tasks.
- State the date for the next audit.
Non-conformances and observations in an environmental audit
Non-conformances are failures within the system and usually relate to employees not following work procedures.
When a non-conformance is recorded, the auditor should suggest a way of correcting the fault to stop it from happening again. They should prepare a non-conformance report or corrective action request form that details:
- what has gone wrong
- how to rectify the fault
- who will do the remedial work
- when it will be completed
- how to prevent the fault from happening again
- a follow-up date
Download an example corrective action request form (DOC, 30K) .
Observations recorded by the auditor may relate to areas in which there are no specific non-conformances, but where the auditor feels that the system or environmental performance could be improved in some way.
How to complete an environmental audit report
An audit report is essential to ensure that the results of the audit are passed on effectively. Your final environmental audit report should consist of:
- a brief description of the areas that have been audited
- a review of the audited areas
- non-compliances
- corrective actions agreed
- other areas of potential risk
- opportunities for improvement
- a summary list of non-compliances
The findings of the audit should be reviewed and assessed, and any actions implemented according to a specified programme. In some cases - for example where you have discovered a breach of legislation - you will need to take immediate action.
The aim of the audit process is to provide objective evidence about the effectiveness of the EMS, not to allocate blame for any areas of non-compliance.
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What is the Process for an Environmental Audit?
An environmental Audit provides an assessment of the environmental performance of a business or organization. The audit reveals details about the activities of a company and its compliance with environmental regulations. Audit information is presented to the management team and employees.
An environmental audit evaluates and quantifies the environmental performance. It identifies compliance problems or management system implementation issues.

Different Types of Environmental Audits
There are three main types of environmental audits :
- Environmental compliance audits
- Environmental management audits
- Functional environmental audits
The environmental compliance audit reviews the company’s or site’s legal compliance status.
The environmental management audit helps the organization or company understand how it is performing on its own environmental performance standards.
A functional environmental audit measures the effects of a particular issue or activity. It investigates specific areas of concern such as air quality monitoring, materials management, or wastewater management. The functional environmental audit is less common and may be included in an environmental compliance audit or an environmental management audit.
Environmental Audit Steps
The environmental audit process includes the following steps as a minimum:
- Planning the audit, including activities to be conducted and responsibilities for each activity
- Review the company’s environmental protection policy and the applicable requirements, federal, state, and local requirements.
- Assessment of the organization, it’s management, and equipment
- Gather data and relevant information
- Evaluate overall performance
- Identify areas needing improvement
- Report findings to management
When an Environmental Audit is Necessary?
Environmental audits are an important part of a company’s environmental policy and performance. However, many companies either don’t do them or do them improperly.
There are many, many environmental rules and regulations that apply to every business. Is your business in compliance with all of them? Do you have all the permits you need and are you fully compliant with all the details of each? You don’t know unless you have done an audit done by an independent environmental auditor.
If you are not an expert on environmental compliance and regulations, you need an environmental audit. When an inspector arrives at your work site, you’ll know that you are in compliance and be able to provide documentation that outlines everything you are doing to stay in compliance.
How to Conduct an Environmental Audit
There are three main Environmental Audit Stages or Phases:
Phase 1: The Pre-Audit
- Create the Audit Team, including a mixture of skills, talents and perspectives
- Create an Audit Plan
- Permits or permit applications
- Production Records
- Previous Audits including corrective actions and status of prior audit items
- Prepare a list of questions that regulators would ask, follow-up questions on prior audits, and requests for additional materials needed
- Begin to fill-in the Disclosure of Violation Table as issues are identified
Phase 2: The Audit
- Set the ground rules
- Determine what happens which issues are identified
- Conduct daily meetings to keep every informed
- Air/Water/Waste/Noise controls, monitoring and records
- Emergency Response Procedures
- Response to Complaints
- Check documents for completeness, consistency, legal compliance, and whether it’s up to date
- Conduct a Site Inspection
- Evaluate Operations for Compliance
- Take samples if needed
- Interview EHS personnel, operations, management, maintenance, to see if policies are understood and consistently handled.
- Discover issues of concern
- Conduct a Closing Meeting listing and discussing of all issues, develop corrective actions for each issue
Phase 3: Post-Audit
- Preparing the Environmental Audit Report and Disclosure of Violations form
- List confirmed issues and Areas of Concern
- List Action Items and required follow-up
What Documents do I Need to Conduct an Environmental Audit?
Before beginning an environmental audit, you should gather and review all the required documents. Here are the six types of documents you will need to begin an environmental audit:
- Maps and floor plans for the facility will help you define the scope of an audit. They’ll clue you into changes that have been made and procedures that might have changed and need a thorough review.
- Gather copies of all environmental permits. These permits are the first step to verifying that the facility is in compliance with the permit terms.
- Gather environmental inspection reports and checklists that prove that inspections have been completed as required. Hazardous waste manifests, sampling data, and other inspection reports help show that recordkeeping is up-to-date and in compliance. Likewise, they can help identify compliance issues.
- An inventory of all chemicals and other raw materials used, their locations, and amounts helps determine which environmental regulations are applied to the facility.
- Environmental Plans and procedures, best management practices and other applicable documents show how the facility is managing environmental issues and preventing problems. Include the EPA Risk Management Plan, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) and written emergency response programs, if applicable.
- Employee training records, tests, and certificates show that employees have been trained in the knowledge and skills needed to perform their duties. These records also demonstrate the company’s efforts to develop and maintain the facilities environmental standards.
An audit can be a valuable tool to determine a facilities compliance with current environmental regulations and record progress being made. It provides additional benefits to the business:
- An environmental audit can help you avoid fines by regulatory agencies by identifying non-compliance issues and allowing time for corrective actions before an inspection.
- Audits increase awareness of environmental standards and employee responsibilities. Increased compliance leads to fewer enforcement actions and penalties.
- Regular environmental audits identify and informs management of the newest regulations that apply to the business.
- Environmental audits improve employee relations and improve the company’s image in the community.
- Companies with environmental stewardship programs are desirable to investors and employees.
- Environmental audits reduce operating costs by identifying issues sooner, minimizing waste, and allowing the company to plan corrective actions.
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- ISO 14001 Checklist
ISO 14001 Requirements Checklist
Streamline ISO 14001 audits and track environmental performance with mobile-ready EMS audit checklists

Published 31 Jan 2023
What is ISO 14001?
ISO 14001 is an international standard in designing and implementing environmental management systems (EMS) that organizations can voluntarily certify for. ISO 14001 certification enhances green credentials, which subsequently boosts business image, improves cost control, and reduces accidents or incidents caused by environmental factors.
ISO 14001 Checklist Form
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An ISO 14001 checklist is used to audit your Environmental Management System (EMS) for compliance with ISO 14001:2015. Use this checklist to perform an internal audit to ensure that your current EMS meets the ISO standards. Start by determining if general requirements and policies were defined to provide a framework for setting objectives and targets. Also, evaluate if this policy was documented, implemented, and communicated to all workers. Use SafetyCulture (formerly iAuditor) to identify non-conformances and assign actions to managers and supervisors for immediate correction.
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In this article
The importance of iso 14001 checklists, choosing the right iso 14001 checklist for your business, complying with the iso 14001 legal requirements, how to implement iso 14001, iso 14001 internal audit best practices, faqs about iso 14001, iso auditing tool for environmental management systems, featured iso 14001 checklists.
A well-designed ISO 14001 checklist can help environmental, health, and safety (EHS) managers stay on top of compliance requirements and double down efforts on effective implementation. It is crucial for organizations to continue using, modifying, and updating their ISO 14001 template to demonstrate dedication in validating their environmental management system consistently.

ISO 14001 Audit Checklist | SafetyCulture
When it comes to selecting the right ISO 14001 checklist for your business, there are a few key factors to consider. First, you should assess your current environmental management system (EMS) to determine which parts of the ISO 14001 standard are most relevant to your organization. Once you have a good understanding of the areas of the standard that are most important to you, you can begin to narrow down your options.
There are a variety of ISO 14001 checklists available, so it’s important to take the time to find one that will fit well with your EMS. It’s also necessary to consider the size and scope of your organization when choosing a checklist. If you have a small business, you may not need a very comprehensive checklist. However, if you have a large organization with multiple facilities, you’ll need a checklist that is much more thorough and can cover all the essential environmental aspects that your need to comply with.
Once you’ve selected the right ISO 14001 checklist for your business, you can begin working on employing it. Remember, the goal is to use the checklist as a tool to help you improve your EMS. Don’t try to use the checklist as a replacement for your EMS. If you do, you’ll likely find it difficult to maintain compliance with the standard.
ISO 14001 compliance is the bare minimum of an environmental management system that actually works. Being ISO 14001-certified entails specific compliance obligations as explained in Annex A of the ISO 14001:2015 standard—m andatory legal requirements related to an organization’s environmental aspects can include, if applicable:
- requirements from governmental entities or other relevant authorities;
- international, national and local laws and regulations;
- requirements specified in permits, licenses or other forms of authorization;
- orders, rules or guidance from regulatory agencies; and
- judgments of courts or administrative tribunals.
The guidance on the use of ISO 14001:2015 standard further states that compliance obligations also include other interested party requirements related to its environmental management system which the organization has to or chooses to adopt which can include, if applicable:
- agreements with community groups or non-governmental organizations;
- agreements with public authorities or customers;
- organizational requirements;
- voluntary principles or codes of practice;
- voluntary labeling or environmental commitments;
- obligations arising under contractual arrangements with the organization; and
- relevant organizational or industry standards such as the Business Social Compliance Initiative ( BSCI ) and Good Manufacturing Practices ( GMP ), among others.
During implementation of ISO 14001, adhering to the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle (PDCA) can organize EMS processes and help organizations meet the standard in proper order. The PDCA cycle can be simplified into 3 easy-to-follow steps. Below are the different processes, together with the steps they entail:
Step 1: PLAN
Plan environmental performance evaluation by selecting relevant indicators. The planning step entails the following:
- Read and understand the standard ISO 14001:2015 (along with the supplementary ISO 14004 standard ) and prepare legal requirements.
- Conduct an ISO readiness test or self-assessment to identify gaps in your current system and processes.
- Develop an implementation plan using the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle
- Define your organization’s competency and training requirements for ISO 14001:2018
- Ensure competence needs are met and that all parties involved are kept in the loop.
Collect and analyze data, assess information, and report results. This step involves implementing the planned EMS and operational controls.
Step 3: CHECK & ACT
Review and improve overall environmental performance. The check & act step involves the following:
- Conduct performance evaluation and management review
- Perform an ISO 14001:2015 internal audit
- Ensure that corrective actions are completed
After going through the PDCA cycle, you may modify your EMS based on new data gathered. This ensures continuous improvement of an organization’s EMS.
Internal auditing is a key part of implementing ISO 14001. Take note that you don’t need to have a separate internal audit for Environmental Management Systems; there is no reason why you can’t use one process for your internal audits that combines both QMS and EMS. To help you complete your internal audits, consider the following ISO 14001 best practices below:
Planning and Scheduling
The first thing to do when starting an ISO 14001 internal audit is to schedule it in. It sounds simple but making sure it’s scheduled in is half the battle. The frequency is often once a year but depending on your particular environment or your past audit performance, it may be appropriate to do them more frequently. The schedule should be available to employees and managers because at this stage you don’t want a surprise audit, as it may disrupt work unnecessarily.
Execution and Analysis
Once it’s scheduled in the next stage is to perform the audit. The key thing for an internal audit is that you are not using the audit to judge legal compliance. You are instead measuring if the process designed to manage the planned environmental conditions are appropriate. For example, Are corrective actions being addressed? Are environmental operational controls in place?
Reporting and Communication
Like all internal audits, the whole process is pointless unless you report it. If people who are part of the process and are doing well, they need to know that. If there are problems to be addressed they need to be addressed and corrected. Finally, all opportunities need to be identified and provided to all employees involved in the process.
For organizations to set up and manage their EMS, they should adhere to ISO 14001 requirements which are clauses 4-10:
- Clause 4: Context of the company/organization
- Clause 5: Leadership
- Clause 6: Planning
- Clause 7: Support
- Clause 8: Operations
- Clause 9: Performance evaluations
- Clause 10: Improvement
Like other ISO standards, ISO 14001 is voluntary. While it is not mandatory, getting certified helps organizations gain a competitive advantage by improving their environmental performance through efficient use of resources and reduction of waste.
The ISO 14001 standard for EMS should be able to provide organizations with the necessary guidelines to make their compliance more aligned. These include the 5 elements of an EMS:
- Environmental policy
- Implementation and operation
- Checking and corrective actions
- Management review
Paper-based audits can be burdensome and time-consuming. Replace your paper audits with a digital auditing app to save more time and increase productivity. SafetyCulture can help you perform better internal ISO audits, monitor EMS activities, and track your organization’s environmental performance. SafetyCulture lets you:
- Create mobile-ready ISO checklists
- Empower teams to conduct efficient monitoring procedures and analysis using a smartphone or tablet
- Save hours in report-creation with a mobile app that generates comprehensive reports as you finish an audit
- Create & assign corrective actions for issues found on EMS activities during audit
- Save all reports online and automatically share it with members of your organization. Preview sample report of ISO 14001 PDF here .
- Use for free with small teams. Unlimited reports and storage for premium accounts.
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Here is a collection of our carefully prepared workplace safety checklists you can browse and use as part of achieving ISO 14001 certification, ongoing compliance, and continuous improvement.
ISO 14001 EMS Monitoring Plan Template
This EMS Monitoring Plan Template is used to identify key characteristics of operations and activities that can have significant environmental impact and/or compliance consequences. Use this checklist to develop measurement controls to prevent the likelihood of potential environmental hazards. This template is designed to capture the following information:
- Significant Aspect : operation equipment or activities that can have significant environmental impact
- Risk Level : the risk severity level an environmental aspect poses
- Monitoring & Measurement : type of monitoring activity/planned inspection process
- Corrective Measures : Controls or corrective actions to implement
- Supporting Photos : ability to attach supporting photos to template
ISO 14001 Internal Audit Checklist
This ISO 14001 internal audit checklist can be used to check significant environmental aspects which need monitoring and focus. It can help businesses gain self-awareness to further improve their environmental management system. This checklist covers the evaluation of air emissions, waste and water management systems, handling and storage, soil and groundwater protection, noise control, and other environmental impacts. Capture photo evidence of any issues identified during the inspection and generate reports on the spot using SafetyCulture.
EMS Audit Checklist
An EMS audit checklist is an evaluation tool to help determine the performance of an organization’s Environmental Management System (EMS) and follow through on areas of improvement. This EMS audit checklist is used by a U.S.-based manufacturing group of companies to comply with all legal, regulatory, and other requirements, prevent pollution, and establish and review their targets and objectives for the improvement and maintenance of their environmental system.
An ISO 14001 requirements checklist is used by environmental, health, and safety (EHS) compliance managers to ensure that their company’s EMS fulfills legal requirements. This ISO 14001 requirements checklist is used to verify the legal compliance of Kraft Heinz, the 5th largest food and beverage company in the world. Use this checklist to audit if waste carriers licenses are updated, if the effluent consent agreement is available, and more.
ISO 14001:2015 Readiness Checklist
This readiness checklist covers ISO 14001 clauses 4 to 10 and is used as a preparatory inspection for ISO 14001:2015 certification. The checklist includes evaluation of the context of the organization, planning procedures and targets, leadership effectiveness, and so on. Use SafetyCulture to prepare your business for the ISO 14001 certification through SafetyCulture’s Analytics feature . Analytics is a powerful tool to track your processes by getting the most out of your collected data. Determine which outstanding items and areas you need to focus on and the necessary actions to address these concerns.

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Jona Tarlengco
Jona Tarlengco is a content writer and researcher for SafetyCulture since 2018. She usually writes about safety and quality topics, contributing to the creation of well-researched articles. Her 5-year experience in one of the world’s leading business news organisations helps enrich the quality of the information in her work.
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10+ Safety Audit Report Templates – PDF, DOC
Safety first. This is one of the cardinal operating rules for any business or organization. And to assess whether or not a company or an establishment’s safety standards are up to par with a set of pre-determined set of rules and regulations, safety audits are undertaken.

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A QIMA environmental audit report provides you with an objective third-party evaluation of your manufacturer's environmental performance, and a corrective action plan aimed at improving it. Our environmental audit reports include an overview of the findings, detailed description of each inspection point, and corresponding images.
Audit Protocols. Audit protocols assist the regulated community in developing programs at individual facilities to evaluate their compliance with environmental requirements under federal law. The protocols are intended solely as guidance in this effort. The regulated community's legal obligations are determined by the terms of applicable ...
A comprehensive and proper environmental audit report covers a number of environmental categories including: Waste management Water management Energy management Resource and material use Transport Conclusions Action plan Your environmental audit report will likely need to conform to certain standards such as the ISO 14001 standard.
Conducting an Environmental Audit Conducting an environmental audit doesn't have to be complicated. To paint a clearer picture of the process of conducting one within a company, it's best to divide it into three phases: Pre-audit phase Audit phase Post-audit phase Pre-Audit Phase
A comprehensive and proper environmental audit report covers a number of environmental categories including: Waste management Water management Energy management Resource and material use Transport Conclusions Action plan Your environmental audit report will likely need to conform to certain standards such as the ISO 14001 standard.
10 Best Practices for Writing a Digestible Audit Report. 1. Reference Everything. Avoid unverifiable claims and make sure to bridge any gaps of information by referencing where you obtained key facts and figures. 2. Include a Reference Section.
The audit report includes a summary of the findings from assessing the data, procedures, and results from the interviews held with the inventory project team members. Recommendations for corrective actions are discussed immediately after the audit; however, a formal report
The environmental audit report template, on the other hand, is a document containing the extensive evaluation of the company as to their processes in helping the environment, risks and issues found suggestions for a plan for action in addressing issues in their procedures and environmental performance.
ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT REPORT 1 Introduction 1.1 Introduction to environmental audit Environmental audit or Green audit is a general term that reflects various kinds of evaluations intended to identify environmental compliance and management system, implementation gaps, along with related corrective actions.
How to Write an Audit Report Download Article parts 1 Preparing to Write an Audit Report 2 Beginning Your Report 3 Writing Your Results and Recommendations Other Sections Video Related Articles References Article Summary Co-authored by Michael R. Lewis Last Updated: October 16, 2022 References Approved
Industry Knowledge Brief The IIA Apr 23, 2018. …. INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE BRIEF. 2018. AUDIT REPORT WRITING. Explores transparency issues with writing reports that will be publicly disclosed. Explores challenges and considerations for writing reports when the reports are disclosed to the public. Ethical conundrum.
What's it: An environmental audit is a systematic examination to assess a company's environmental responsibility. It aims to identify environmental compliance, verify environmental responsibility implementation gaps whether they meet stated objectives, along with related corrective actions. Advertisement
Auditors must submit the proposed scope of audit to EPA before starting it. At a minimum, the scope must include: the identity of the site or activity the audit covers the elements of the environment the audit assesses, such as land, water, air and noise consideration of the standards and reference documents in the audit
The assurance report shall be in writing and shall contain a clear expression of the practitioner's conclusion about the underlying subject matter. ... The core of a clear overall audit report conclusion is a single key paragraph with a clear overall conclusion. ... or environmental impact. Clearly, the definition of "significant" is a ...
You should follow a systematic approach to your environmental audits: Plan the audit - decide which area, process or procedure you are going to audit according to the plan. Speak to the manager responsible to ensure that resources will be available and that there is no conflict with operational requirements.
There are three main Environmental Audit Stages or Phases: Pre-Audit Audit Post-Audit Phase 1: The Pre-Audit Create the Audit Team, including a mixture of skills, talents and perspectives Create an Audit Plan Request and review documents, including: Permits or permit applications Production Records Reports
goal of full compliance. An environmental audit is one tool that Federal agencies can use to comply with the regulations, as well as to improve the efficiency of operations and conserve limited fiscal and labor resources. A number of factors must be considered when designing and implementing a Federal agency environmental audit program.
Download Free Template. An ISO 14001 requirements checklist is used by environmental, health, and safety (EHS) compliance managers to ensure that their company's EMS fulfills legal requirements. This ISO 14001 requirements checklist is used to verify the legal compliance of Kraft Heinz, the 5th largest food and beverage company in the world.
For audits completed under the Environment Protection Act 1970, this includes Section 53X audits completed since the start of the environmental audit system in 1990 and Section 53V audits completed since January 2014. If you can't find the environmental audit report you're looking for, contact EPA. Learn more about environmental audits
This tip or rule in audit report writing may seem easy to follow. But too often, this is where most safety audit reports fall short. So if it is your first time writing a formal safety audit report, expose yourself to this kind of academic paper writing. Read different examples of actual safety audit reports written by real-life safety auditors.