Auditing versus monitoring

Answer:

Yes, environmental audit and environmental monitoring and evaluation are different things, although both are used to evaluate performance. An environmental audit is a systematic process of obtaining evidences to determine if audit criteria are fulfilled. For example; are procedures being followed, are desired results being attained? Audits are done by auditors, they check documentation, they observe, they ask questions to people doing the jobs. Environmental monitoring is about determining the status of a process or system, comparing actual results with desired results, the specifications, and after evaluation deciding if anything should be done. For example, independently of what is being done an organization can monitor the amount of solid wastes that generates, or the quality of its air emissions.

The following material will provide you information about monitoring and auditing:

- ISO 14001 – How to measure the effec tiveness of your EMS according to ISO 14001:2015 - https://advisera.com/14001academy/blog/2016/09/05/how-to-measure-the-effectiveness-of-your-ems-according-to-iso140012015/
- How to define EMS key performance indicators (KPIs) according to ISO 14001 - https://advisera.com/14001academy/blog/2016/05/30/how-to-define-ems-key-performance-indicators-kpis-according-to-iso-14001/?icn=free-blog-14001&ici=bottom-how-to-define-ems-key-performance-indicators-kpis-according-to-iso-14001-txt />
- Internal Audits in the EMS: Five Main Steps - https://advisera.com/14001academy/blog/2019/08/27/key-iso-14001-benefits-to-customers/nowledgebase/internal-audits-in-the-ems-five-main-steps/