Environmental Auditing

Corus has been carrying out Corporate Environmental Audits of its Business sites for over 15 years. The types of audits performed have included Initial Reviews, Compliance, Effluent Security, Waste Management and Legionella audits.

A recent series has examined how the systems in place, at the works, manage strategic environmental issues such as Seveso implications and Air Quality.

In addition the Company carries out its own Due Diligence and Closure Audits working closely with the RD&T experts on such issues as contaminated land.

There are also a large number of environmental personnel within the IJmuiden, Long and Flat Products and Coating Environmental Departments with vast experience on the auditing of Environmental Management Systems such as ISO 14001.

Corus has also set up an Intranet based system for encouraging its supply base to make environmental improvement.

Services offered by Corus Consulting:

• Initial reviews which establish the shortcomings of the environmental control equipment and management at a site or organisation.
• Compliance audits to establish weaknesses in the techniques and control systems operating at a site against the legislation applying in the country concerned or against best practice.
• Risk assessment and management especially with regard to effluent, legionella, waste and noise.
• Management of strategic environmental issues, both global and country based.
• The environmental implications associated with the purchase of new operations or the closure of a site.
• Greening of the Supply chain.

Environmental auditing is carried out according to the guidelines suggested in the International Chamber of Commerce position paper on the subject. This considers the planning and reporting of the audit. In addition, due cognisance is taken of the International Guidance given in the sister guidance standards in the ISO 14000 series. 

Corus has found the following benefits of environmental auditing:

• Improving environmental performance  
• Enhancing the awareness of employees  
• An aid to planning environmental expenditure
• Identification of R&D requirements  
• Avoiding environmental surprises  
• Avoiding legal action  
• Awareness of the environmental implications of purchase
• Ensuring the closure of a site is managed with attention paid to good environmental practices 
• Greening the supply chain  
• Training of environmental personnel