How to Create an Effective ISO 14001 Internal Audit Report

Creating an effective ISO internal audit report is not a difficult task if you consider the following points. This article will let you know how to prepare an internal audit report for the ISO 14001 Standard.

Do you have an effective Environmental Management System or EMS? If yes, then you might be aware of the importance of an internal audit program. This program ensures that your EMS is working properly, and forms the basis of the actions taken to rectify any non-conformances. When it comes to ISO 14001, the implementation of an EMS is a key requirement. Organizations need to perform ISO 14001 internal audit program to ensure the EMS is working properly. When you are planning for an audit, you need to learn how to create a flawless internal auditing report.

Why should you have an audit report?

ISO 14001:2015 Standard wants organizations to record the outcomes of planned internal audit programs. Performing a thorough audit is important to avoid any non-conformity in the event of the certification audit. It will help you identify and address the gaps in your processes, documentation, or standard requirements. An auditing program will help you take required formal actions to fix the identified issues. Creating a detailed report meets the requirements of the ISO 14001 Standard and prepares the ground for an organized list of action points to address the internal issues. This report will also satisfy your external auditors who will be conducting the certification audit.

How to Prepare the Internal Audit Report

In order to prepare an internal audit report, you need know what to include. ISO 14001:2015 has not imposed any particular requirements regarding the content, but having a glimpse of the requirements will tell you which elements you should include in your audit report. These elements are:

• Whether the EMS is compliant with the terms of the Standard,
• Whether all the requirements are met,
• Whether the EMS meets the terms of service and environmental objectives,
• If any non-conformance is identified.

Apart from these, you may also document the following data:

• General Audit Data- Record who performed the last audit, date, and the date of issuing the report,
• Audit Scope- The respective departments, documents, processes, and relevant clauses,
• Any Non-Conformity- The more details you capture, the more effective your corrective and preventive actions. Therefore, you should ensure that your team has put ample time in gathering all the relevant facts and details.

As it has been said earlier, ISO 14001 Standard does not prescribe any format for your internal audit report, just like ISO 9001 internal audits, you should ensure that you have gathered the details mentioned above to form an effective report.

How do internal audits help satisfy other goals?

An internal audit report provides you with a unique view of the EMS functionalities. It offers evidence to top management of on-going improvement. The latest version of the standard requires an organization to compile an effective report about whether the EMS meets the revised terms of the standard. These terms may include organizational context, lifecycle requirements, etc.

By considering the topics of your auditing, your organization will benefit in a number of ways. These days, some businesses are dividing the clauses of the ISO 14001:2015 standard between the numbers of audits scheduled to happen during the three-year validation circle. If you follow this method, you will be able to receive an ISO 14001 internal audit report that covers all the requirements of the Standard. This is the best way to prepare your organization for the certification audit.

A Final Takeaway

While reporting the details of an internal audit program is mandatory, you should not forget that such audits are a useful tool for your business. If you plan and perform the internal audit program correctly, then you will be able to fulfill many functions, both mandatory ones, and the business-centered ones. Moreover, with an effective internal audit, you will be able to improve your EMS performance, filling the existing gaps, and enhancing the chances of getting certified to the ISO 14001 Standard.

If you don’t have much experience in arranging an ISO internal audit program, it would be better to outsource services offered by reliable internal auditing firms. If you want to involve your in-house resources, you must also provide them with the required training program.