What does an Environmental Auditor Do?

An Environmental Auditor is responsible for auditing the environmental policies and procedures of a company, agency, or business and setting up protocols for better implementation of environmental policies and standards. To understand the job of an environmental auditor, it is important to understand what an environmental audit is and how it is used.

What is an Environmental Audit?

In an environmental audit, the auditor does a complete review of your compliance and implementation of environmental regulations, including:

• Environmental permits in place as needed
• Checking compliance with environmental requirements
• A head-to-toe evaluation of the effectiveness of environmental management systems
• Assessing risks from materials and practices
• Documentation of the audit, findings, and recommendations
• Verifying that you are in compliance with all rules and regulations that apply to your business or procedures. 
• Verifying that you are in compliance with all federal, state, and local Environmental laws
• Detect violations of environmental regulations
• Recommend steps for improvement
• Gather data and prepare environmental compliance audits and present the information to management 

Environmental audits should be done regularly by an environmental auditor. Using an outside auditor helps ensure that the audit is complete and objective. When the company’s environmental manager does the audit, the audit is unlikely to show the manager’s weaknesses and overlooked regulations are usually not caught. When done correctly by an outside expert, a comprehensive environmental audit can uncover problem areas and correct them before regulatory problems arise. 

What are the Requirements to become an Environmental Auditor?

An environmental auditor needs several years of experience in environmental compliance or a bachelor’s degree in one of the following:

• Environmental Science
• Environmental Management
• Natural Resource Management
• Environmental Engineering
• Environmental Assessment

Professional certification as a Certified Environmental Auditor^SM is available from the National Registry of Environmental Professions. Applicable certifications include:

• Environmental Professional – Compliance Environmental Auditor (EPCEA)
• Environmental Professional – Environmental Management Systems Auditor (EPEMSA)
• Certified Environmental Auditor^SM (CEA)

Skills Needed for a Successful Environmental Auditor

You will also need strong organizational skills, leadership abilities, communication skills, and report writing abilities. It is helpful to have a working knowledge of environmental management systems such as ISO 14001, waste & wastewater management laws, statistics, and accounting.

Additional Education for Environmental Auditors

While you can begin a career as an environmental auditor with a bachelor’s degree or experience in a related field, some employers may require a master’s degree and/or certification to be considered for the position. Certification or a master’s degree can also be beneficial to advancing into senior level or management positions in the field. 

Requirements for Certified Environmental Auditor^SM Status

While certification as an environmental Auditor (CES) is not required for someone working in the field, it is important to career advancement and in competition for the best positions. Having a CES certification shows employers and clients that you have demonstrated the skills and knowledge necessary for the position and that you meet the requirements for the job. 

The Certified Environmental Auditor^SM (CEA) certification from the National Registry of Environmental Professionals^® (NREP^SM) has the following requirements for certification:

• Bachelor’s degree in an environmentally-related field OR three years of acceptable work experience may substitute for each year of an academic degree program (12 years of experience is equivalent to a Bachelor’s Degree
• Four years of work experience directly involved with environmental audits (in addition to experience substituted for education
• Successful completion of exam

The exam is given online and a study guide is available from NREP^SM. The following topics are covered on the exam:

• Environmental laws and regulations
• Program management relating to pollution prevention, waste minimization, health and safety, and compliance
• Chemistry, toxicology, and geology
• Technology
• Ethics, legal obligations, personal liability, and public relations

Which Industries Employ the Most Environmental Auditors?

Environmental auditors may be hired in any industry, however some types of businesses and industries have greater need for their services. Environmental auditors may work on a contract basis or as full-time employees for companies such as:

• Environmental consulting firms
• Engineering firms
• Federal, State or Municipal Governments
• Utility companies
• Manufacturing firms
• Resource-based companies in agriculture, forestry, mining, oil, and gas

General Job Description of an Environmental Auditor

Environmental auditors assess the environmental operations and procedures for businesses, governments, or utility companies. They are responsible for making sure the environmental standards are being met by the business and detecting existing compliance problems or environmental management deficiencies. Once problems are detected, they make recommendations for corrections.

Environmental auditors conduct two different types of audits: environmental compliance audits and management performance audits. The compliance audit is described above. A management performance audit measures how a business is meeting criteria for management systems. 

Typical Job Duties of Environmental Auditors

As an environmental auditor, you will be responsible for the regular auditing of all environmental policies and procedures. This involves working with an audit team and with staff to get a good picture of how environmental compliance is being handled. You will be responsible for:

• Selecting and managing the audit team
• Reviewing the operations of the business being audited and determining how environmental issues are being handled
• Gathering data on the business operations through on-site inspections, document reviews, staff interviews, and other methods
• Check business records for governmental permits and requirements, safety standards, maintenance, and inventory control measures
• Review emergency preparedness and response procedures
• Review management systems, environmental monitoring programs and waste management efforts
• Review employee training procedures and programs and the work environment for compliance with government and corporate standards
• Write and compile final audit reports including results of the audit and recommendations for changes and improvement
• Present the audit findings to the business managers and directors
• Assist in the development of an environmental management plan
• Follow up at a future time to ensure improvements and recommendations have been successfully implemented.

Job Opportunities for Environmental Auditors

Job opportunities for environmental auditors will probably increase in the future as environmental regulations increase and fines for non-compliance become more burdensome. You may work as an internal environmental auditor for a business, government, or industry or you may be employed by an environmental company as an outside auditor for businesses.