As Australia’s emphasis on sustainable development and environmental protection continues to grow, environmental auditors are playing an increasingly important role in ensuring that projects are undertaken in an environmentally responsible manner.
Their key responsibilities include:
1. Verify the suitability of sites
Environmental auditors play a particularly important role in ensuring that potentially, or, confirmed contaminated sites are suitable for new developments, especially in construction, land development, and related activities. They verify that contaminated land has been remediated to an appropriate standard and is suitable for its intended use
2. Provide independent review
Environmental auditors verify that investigations and remediation are done according to work plans or other requirements enforceable by Councils and EPAs. They provide an independent review of the work done by environmental engineers and consultants. This ensures that all environmental risks have been identified and addressed, and that the project follows environmental regulations and standards.
3. Identify potential environmental risks
Environmental auditors determine that potential environmental risks have been appropriately identified and that the proposed management method / approaches are suitable to manage the identified risks. By doing so, they help organisations reduce environmental risks, improve performance, and demonstrate their commitment to sustainable development.
4. Provide insights for improvement
Environmental auditors also provide valuable insights into areas where a project can improve its environmental performance. This includes providing recommendations for improving environmental management plans and systems, reducing risks, and enhancing overall sustainability.
Environmental auditing at Douglas Partners
Douglas Partners has two contaminated sites auditors both of which are Certified Environmental Practitioners (Contaminated Sites). Additionally, they are experienced in auditing compliance with management plans and regulatory approvals, such as local government Planning decisions. As environmental regulations vary from one state/territory to another, it is important to enlist the services of a qualified environmental auditor to help meet your compliance requirements and avoid legal penalties, fines, or project delays.
