Sustainability Audits

Sustainability Audits

OHSAS 18001 requires both audits of sustainability and audits for sustainability.
What does this mean?  What is the difference?
These two types of audits relate to two different definitions of sustainability.
The first definition, derived from the Brundtland Commission Report’s definition of sustainable development, is “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”  Although originally environmentally focused, this concept has evolved to include other components as well.  Notably, for occupational health and safety, sustainability is seen as including the actions and conditions that affect all members of society including workers (the “social” component).
The second definition, the dictionary definition, is to “endure without giving way.”  This concept of sustainability is focused on survival and maintenance in the face of changing conditions.  This is often referred to as management of change.  As stated in section 4.3.1.5 of OHSAS 18002, “The organization should manage and control any changes that can affect or impact its OH&S hazards and risks”.
The internal audit element of OHSAS 18001 (section 4.5.5) requires that audits be conducted in order to make the following three types of determinations:

1.  the OHSMS conforms to the OHSAS 18001 requirements and the organization’s planned arrangements;
2. the OHSMS is properly implemented and maintained; and
3. the OHSMS is effective in meeting the organization’s policy and objectives.

Many organizations focus almost exclusively on conducting internal audits to determine conformance – the first type of determination listed in section 4.5.5.  These organizations often ignore the other two purposes of an internal audit listed in OHSAS 18001 – the requirements for sustainability audits.