What are the most common environmental indicators and metrics used in environmental auditing?

1 Environmental aspects and impacts

Environmental aspects are the elements or activities of an organization, project, or activity that interact with the environment, such as emissions, waste, energy use, water consumption, etc. Environmental impacts are the changes or effects that these aspects cause on the environment, such as air pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, etc. Environmental auditors use environmental aspects and impacts as the basis for identifying and prioritizing the environmental issues and objectives of their auditees.

2 Environmental performance indicators

Environmental performance indicators (EPIs) are quantitative or qualitative measures that can be used to track, assess, and report on the environmental aspects and impacts, as well as the environmental management system (EMS) and the environmental policy and targets of the auditees. Examples of EPIs include emission intensity, waste generation rate, water efficiency, energy efficiency, and environmental compliance rate. These measurements indicate the level of environmental performance or progress of an organization, project, or activity by measuring the amount of emissions or waste per unit of output, activity, or input; the ratio of water output to water input; the ratio of energy output to energy input; and the percentage of compliance with environmental laws, regulations, standards, permits, etc.

3 Environmental quality indicators

Environmental quality indicators (EQIs) are measures that reflect the state or condition of the environment or its components, such as air, water, soil, biodiversity, etc. These indicators can be used to assess environmental impacts and the effectiveness of environmental actions taken by auditees. Examples of EQIs include the air quality index, which is a composite measure of the concentration and health effects of various air pollutants; the water quality index, which is a composite measure of physical, chemical, and biological characteristics and health effects of various water pollutants; the soil quality index, which is a composite measure of physical, chemical, and biological properties and functions of soil; and the biodiversity index, which is a measure of species diversity and richness in a given area.

4 Environmental sustainability indicators

Environmental sustainability indicators (ESIs) are measures used to evaluate the environmental contribution and responsibility of an organization, project, or activity to global and local environmental goals and challenges. Examples of ESIs include ecological footprint, which measures the biologically productive area required to support the consumption and waste generation of an organization; carbon footprint, which measures the total greenhouse gas emissions caused; water footprint, which measures total freshwater use and consumption; and life cycle assessment, which evaluates environmental impacts throughout a product's life cycle.

5 Environmental auditing standards

Environmental auditing standards are the guidelines or principles that define the scope, objectives, criteria, methods, and quality of environmental auditing. These standards can help guarantee the reliability, uniformity, and comparability of environmental auditing results and reports. For example, ISO 19011 is a standard that provides guidance on auditing management systems, such as environmental management systems. ISO 14001 is a standard that specifies the requirements for an environmental management system to improve its environmental performance. ISO 14031 provides guidance on selecting and using environmental performance indicators. ISO 14040 specifies the principles and framework for life cycle assessment. Lastly, ISO 14064 outlines the principles and requirements for quantifying and reporting greenhouse gas emissions and reductions.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?