EN ISO 14031:1999

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-december-2002
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Environmental management - Environmental performance evaluation - Guidelines (ISO
14031:1999)
Umweltmanagement - Umweltleistungsbewertung - Leitlinien (ISO 14031:1999)
Management environnemental - Evaluation de la performance environnementale -
Lignes directrices (ISO 14031:1999)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN ISO 14031:1999
ICS:
13.020.10 Ravnanje z okoljem Environmental management
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 14031
First edition
1999-11-15
Environmental management —
Environmental performance evaluation —
Guidelines
Management environnemental — Évaluation de la performance
environnementale — Lignes directrices
Reference number
ISO 14031:1999(E)
©
ISO 1999
ISO 14031:1999(E)
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© ISO 1999
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ii © ISO 1999 – All rights reserved

ISO 14031:1999(E)
Contents
Foreword.iv
Introduction.v
1 Scope .1
2 Terms and definitions .1
3 Environmental performance evaluation .3
3.1 General overview .3
3.1.1 EPE process model .3
3.1.2 Indicators for EPE.4
3.1.3 Use of EPE.5
3.2 Planning EPE (Plan) .6
3.2.1 General guidance.6
3.2.2 Selecting indicators for EPE.8
3.3 Using data and information (Do).13
3.3.1 General overview .13
3.3.2 Collecting data .13
3.3.3 Analysing and converting data .14
3.3.4 Assessing information .14
3.3.5 Reporting and communicating.14
3.4 Reviewing and improving EPE (Check and Act) .16
Annex A (informative) Supplemental guidance on EPE.17
A.1 General overview .17
A.2 Guidance on identifying the views of interested parties in the context of EPE.17
A.2.1 Potential interested parties.17
A.2.2 Issues and views of interested parties.18
A.2.3 Methods for identifying the views of interested parties .19
A.3 Supplemental guidance on selecting indicators for EPE.19
A.3.1 Considerations for selecting indicators for EPE.19
A.3.2 Examples of approaches for selecting indicators for EPE .20
A.4 Examples of indicators for EPE .21
A.4.1 General overview .21
A.4.2 Management performance indicators.22
A.4.3 Operational performance indicators.24
A.4.4 Environmental condition indicators .28
Bibliography.32
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ISO 14031:1999(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies (ISO
member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO technical
committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has
the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in
liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 3.
Draft International Standards adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting.
Publication as an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this International Standard may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard ISO 14031 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 207, Environmental
management, Subcommittee SC 4, Environmental performance evaluation.
Annex A of this International Standard is for information only.
iv © ISO 1999 – All rights reserved

ISO 14031:1999(E)
Introduction
Many organizations are seeking ways to understand, demonstrate and improve their environmental performance.
This can be achieved by effectively managing those elements of their activities, products and services that can
significantly impact the environment.
Environmental performance evaluation (EPE), the subject of this International Standard, is an internal management
process and tool designed to provide management with reliable and verifiable information on an ongoing basis to
determine whether an organization’s environmental performance is meeting the criteria set by the management of
the organization.
An organization with an environmental management system in place should assess its environmental performance
against its environmental policy, objectives, targets and other environmental performance criteria. When an
organization does not have an environmental management system, EPE can assist the organization in:
� identifying its environmental aspects;
� determining which aspects it will treat as significant;
� setting criteria for its environmental performance; and
� assessing its environmental performance against these criteria.
This International Standard (ISO 14031) supports the requirements in ISO 14001 and the guidance in ISO 14004
(see Bibliography), but it may also be used independently.
EPE and environmental audits help the management of an organization to assess the status of its environmental
performance and to identify areas for improvement as needed. EPE is an ongoing process of collection and
assessment of data and information to provide a current evaluation of performance, as well as performance trends
over time. In contrast, environmental audits are conducted periodically to verify conformance to defined
requirements. Further guidance on environmental auditing is provided in ISO 14010 and ISO 14011 (see
Bibliography).
Examples of other tools that management can use to provide additional information for EPE include environmental
reviews and life cycle assessment (LCA). While EPE focuses on describing the environmental performance of an
organization, LCA is a technique for assessing the environmental aspects and potential impacts associated with
product and service systems. Further guidance on LCA is provided in ISO 14040, ISO 14041, ISO 14042 and
ISO 14043 (see Bibliography). Relevant information derived from these and other data sources can support the
implementation of EPE, as well as the implementation of other management tools.
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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 14031:1999(E)
Environmental management — Environmental performance
evaluation — Guidelines
1 Scope
This International Standard gives guidance on the design and use of environmental performance evaluation within
an organization. It is applicable to all organizations, regardless of type, size, location and complexity.
This International Standard does not establish environmental performance levels. It is not intended for use as a
specification standard for certification or registration purposes or for the establishment of any other environmental
management system conformance requirements.
2 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this International Standard, the following terms and definitions apply.
2.1
environment
surroundings in which an organization operates, including air, water, land, natural resources, flora, fauna, humans,
and their interrelation
NOTE Surroundings in this context extend from within an organization to the global system.
[ISO 14001:1996]
2.2
environmental aspect
element of an organization’s activities, products or services that can interact with the environment
NOTE A significant environmental aspect is an environmental aspect that has or can have a significant environmental
impact.
[ISO 14001:1996]
2.3
environmental condition indicator
ECI
specific expression that provides information about the local, regional, national or global condition of the
environment
NOTE “Regional” may refer to a state, a province, or a group of states within a country, or it may refer to a group of
countries or a continent, depending on the scale of the condition of the environment that the organization chooses to consider.
2.4
environmental impact
any change to the environment, whether adverse or beneficial, wholly or partially resulting from an organization’s
activities, products or services
[ISO 14001:1996]
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ISO 14031:1999(E)
2.5
environmental management system
EMS
the part of the overall management system that includes organizational structure, planning activities,
responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes and resources for developing, implementing, achieving, reviewing
and maintaining the environmental policy
[ISO 14001:1996]
2.6
environmental objective
overall environmental goal, arising from the environmental policy, that an organization sets itself to achieve, and
which is quantified where practicable
[ISO 14001:1996]
2.7
environmental performance
results of an organization’s management of its environmental aspects
NOTE 1 Environmental performance is defined differently in this International Standard than in ISO 14001:1996 and
ISO 14004:1996.
NOTE 2 In the context of environmental management systems, results may be measured against the organization’s
environmental policy, objectives and targets.
2.8
environmental performance criterion
environmental objective, target, or other intended level of environmental performance set by the management of
the organization and used for the purpose of environmental performance evaluation
2.9
environmental performance evaluation
EPE
process to facilitate management decisions regarding an organization’s environmental performance by selecting
indicators, collecting and analysing data, assessing information against environmental performance criteria,
reporting and communicating, and periodically reviewing and improving this process
2.10
environmental performance indicator
EPI
specific expression that provides information about an organization’s environmental performance
2.10.1
management performance indicator
MPI
environmental performance indicator that provides information about the management efforts to influence an
organization’s environmental performance
2.10.2
operational performance indicator
OPI
environmental performance indicator that provides information about the environmental performance of an
organization’s operations
2.11
environmental policy
statement by the organization of its intentions and principles in relation to its overall environmental performance
which provides a framework for action and for the setting of its environmental objectives and targets
[ISO 14001:1996]
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ISO 14031:1999(E)
2.12
environmental target
detailed performance requirement, quantified where practicable, applicable to the organization or parts thereof, that
arises from the environmental objectives and that needs to be set and met in order to achieve those objectives
[ISO 14001:1996]
2.13
interested party
individual or group concerned with or affected by the environmental performance of an organization
[ISO 14001:1996]
2.14
organization
company, corporation, firm, enterprise, authority or institution, or part or combination thereof, whether incorporated
or not, public or private, that has its own functions and administration
NOTE For organizations with more than one operating unit, a single operating unit may be defined as an organization.
[ISO 14001:1996]
3 Environmental performance evaluation
3.1 General overview
3.1.1 EPE process model
Environmental performance evaluation (EPE) is an internal management process that uses indicators to provide
information comparing an organization’s past and present environmental performance with its environmental
performance criteria. EPE, as detailed in this International Standard, follows a “Plan-Do-Check-Act” management
model. The steps of this ongoing process are the following:
a) Plan
1) planning EPE;
2) selecting indicators for EPE (the process of selecting indicators may include both choosing from
existing indicators and developing new indicators).
b) Do
Using data and information which includes:
1) collecting data relevant to the selected indicators;
2) analysing and converting data into information describing the organization’s environmental
performance;
3) assessing information describing the organization’s environmental performance in comparison with the
organization’s environmental performance criteria;
4) reporting and communicating information describing the organization’s environmental performance.
c) Check and Act
Reviewing and improving EPE.
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ISO 14031:1999(E)
Figure 1 provides an outline of EPE, with references to the numbers and titles of relevant clauses in this
International Standard. Annex A provides supplemental guidance to support EPE.
Figure 1 — Environmental performance evaluation
3.1.2 Indicators for EPE
This International Standard describes two general categories of indicators for EPE:
� environmental performance indicators (EPIs); and
� environmental condition indicators (ECIs).
There are two types of EPI:
� Management performance indicators (MPIs) are a type of EPI that provide information about management
efforts to influence the environmental performance of the organization’s operations.
� Operational performance indicators (OPIs) are a type of EPI that provide information about the environmental
performance of the organization’s operations.
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ISO 14031:1999(E)
ECIs provide information about the condition of the environment. This information can help an organization to better
understand the actual impact or potential impact of its environmental aspects, and thus assist in the planning and
implementation of EPE.
The decisions and actions of an organization’s management are closely related to the performance of its
operations. Figure 2 illustrates the interrelationships among an organization’s management and operations, and the
condition of the environment, noting the type of indicator for EPE related to each of these elements.
Figure 2 — Interrelationships of an organization’s management and operations
with the condition of the environment
3.1.3 Use of EPE
Management commitment to implement EPE is essential. EPE should be appropriate to the size, location, and type
of the organization and its needs and priorities. EPE should be cost-effective and part of the regular business
functions and activities of an organization. The information generated by EPE can assist an organization to:
� determine any necessary actions to achieve its environmental performance criteria;
� identify significant environmental aspects;
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ISO 14031:1999(E)
� identify opportunities for better management of its environmental aspects (e.g. prevention of pollution);
� identify trends in its environmental performance;
� increase the organization’s efficiency and effectiveness;
� identify strategic opportunities.
Internal reporting and communication of information describing the organization’s environmental performance is
important to assist employees in fulfilling their responsibilities, thereby enabling the organization to achieve its
environmental performance criteria. Management may also report or communicate such information to other
interested parties.
An organization’s EPE should be reviewed periodically to identify opportunities for improvement.
3.2 Planning EPE (Plan)
3.2.1 General guidance
An organization should base its planning of EPE (including the selection of indicators for EPE) on:
� the significant environmental aspects that it can control and over which it can be expected to have an influence;
� its environmental performance criteria;
� the views of interested parties.
NOTE Clause A.2 of this International Standard provides guidance on identifying the views of interested parties in the
context of EPE.
In planning EPE, the organization can also consider:
� the full range of its activities, products and services;
� its organizational structure;
� its overall business strategy;
� its environmental policy;
� information needed to meet its legal and other requirements;
� relevant international environmental agreements;
� environmental costs and benefits;
� information needed for analysis of financial effects related to environmental performance;
� the need for consistent information related to its environmental performance from year to year;
� information about the local, regional, national or global condition of the environment;
� cultural and social factors.
The financial, physical and human resources needed to conduct EPE should be identified and provided by
management.
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Depending on its capabilities and resources, the initial scope of an organization’s EPE may be limited to those
elements of its activities, products and services given highest priority by management. Over time, the initial scope
of EPE can be widened to address elements of an organization’s activities, products and services that have not
been previously addressed.
The identification of an organization’s environmental aspects is an important input in planning EPE. This
information typically is developed in the context of an environmental management system. Guidance on identifying
significant environmental aspects in the context of environmental management systems can be found in ISO 14001
and ISO 14004 (see Bibliography). An organization with an environmental management system in place should
assess its environmental performance against its environmental policy, objectives, targets and other environmental
performance criteria.
An organization without an environmental management system may use EPE to assist in identifying environmental
aspects which it will treat as significant and setting criteria for its environmental performance. To determine
significant environmental aspects, such an organization should consider:
� the scale and nature of material and energy usage;
� emissions;
� risks;
� the condition of the environment;
� the possibility of incidents;
� legal, regulatory and other requirements to which the organization subscribes.
For most organizations, the review of environmental aspects will focus on the organization’s operations, as
described in Figure A.1.
Practical Help Box No. 1
Examples of approaches to identify environmental aspects and their relative significance in the context
of EPE, for organizations without environmental management systems
� Identify activities, products and services of the organization, the specific environmental aspects and the
relative significance associated with them, and the potential impacts related to significant environmental
aspects.
� Use information about the condition of the environment to identify activities, products and services of the
organization that may have an impact on specific conditions.
� Analyse the organization’s existing data on material and energy inputs, discharges, wastes and emissions
and assess these data in terms of risk.
� Identify the views of interested parties and use this information to help establish the organization’s
significant environmental aspects.
� Identify activities of the organization that are subject to environmental regulation or other requirements, for
which data may have been collected by the organization.
� Consider the design, development, manufacturing, distribution, servicing, use, re-use, recycling and
disposal of the organization’s products, and their related environmental impacts.
� Identify those activities of the organization having the most significant environmental costs or benefits.
Whether it has an environmental management system or not, an organization should plan EPE in conjunction with
the setting of its environmental performance criteria, so that the selected indicators for EPE will be appropriate for
describing the organization’s environmental performance against these criteria.
Examples of sources from which environmental performance criteria can be derived include:
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ISO 14031:1999(E)
� current and past performance;
� legal requirements;
� recognized codes, standards and best practices;
� performance data and information developed by industry and other sector organizations;
� management reviews and audits;
� the views of interested parties;
� scientific research.
3.2.2 Selecting indicators for EPE
3.2.2.1 General guidance
Indicators for EPE are selected by organizations as a means of presenting quantitative or qualitative data or
information in a more understandable and useful form. They help to convert relevant data into concise information
about management’s efforts to influence the organization’s environmental performance, the environmental
performance of the organization’s operations, or the condition of the environment. An organization should select a
sufficient number of relevant and understandable indicators to assess its environmental performance. The number
of selected indicators for EPE should reflect the nature and scale of the organization’s operations. The choice of
indicators for EPE will determine what data should be used. To facilitate this effort, organizations may wish to use
data already available and collected by the organization or by others.
The information conveyed through indicators for EPE can be expressed as direct or relative measures or as
indexed information. Indicators for EPE may be aggregated or weighted as appropriate to the nature of the
information and its intended use. Aggregation and weighting should be done with care to ensure verifiability,
consistency, comparability and understandability. There should be a clear understanding of assumptions made in
the handling of data and its transformation into information and indicators for EPE.
Practical Help Box No. 2
Examples of characteristics of data for indicators for EPE
� Direct measures or calculations: basic data or information, such as tonnes of contaminant emitted.
� Relative measures or calculations: data or information compared to or in relation to another parameter (e.g.
production level, time, location or background condition), such as tonnes of contaminant emitted per tonne
of product manufactured, or tonnes of contaminant emitted per unit of sales turnover.
� Indexed: describing data or information converted to units or to a form which relates the information to a
chosen standard or baseline, such as contaminant emissions in the current year expressed as a
percentage of those emissions in a baseline year.
� Aggregated: describing data or information of the same type, but from different sources, collected and
expressed as a combined value, such as total tonnes of a given contaminant emitted from production of a
product in a given year, determined by summing emissions from multiple facilities producing that product.
� Weighted: describing data or information modified by applying a factor related to its significance.
There are many considerations an organization may take into account when selecting indicators for EPE, and
several approaches that an organization may use to select its EPIs (OPIs and MPIs) and ECIs. Some
considerations for selecting indicators for EPE are provided in A.3.1. A.3.2 provides some examples of approaches
for the selection of indicators for EPE.
Some environmental aspects may be complex, and it may be beneficial to select a combination of EPIs and ECIs to
provide a comprehensive assessment of performance related to such aspects.
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ISO 14031:1999(E)
Indicators for EPE should be selected so that management has sufficient information to understand the effect that
progress toward achieving any one environmental performance criterion has on other elements of environmental
performance.
Organizations may find it useful to select several indicators for EPE derived from a common set of data depending
on the intended audience for each indicator.
Practical Help Box No. 3
Example to illustrate an organization selecting several indicators for EPE derived from a common set of
data, depending on the intended audiences
An organization discharging treated wastewater to a lake selects the following indicators for EPE:
� total amount of specific contaminant discharged per year
(possible intended audience: the local community);
� concentration of contaminant in wastewater
(possible intended audience: legal and regulatory authorities);
� amount of contaminant discharged per product produced
(possible intended audiences: management and consumers);
� change in amount of contaminant discharged per year relative to investments in cleaner technology or
process upgrade
(possible intended audiences: management and investors).
Regional, national and global indicators related to environmental performance or sustainable development are
being developed by government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and scientific and research
institutions. When selecting indicators for EPE and collecting data, organizations may wish to consider indicators
being developed by such entities and compatibility with information which is provided to them.
3.2.2.2 Selecting MPIs
In the context of EPE, the management of the organization includes the policies, people, planning activities,
practices and procedures at all levels of the organization, as well as the decisions and actions associated with the
organization’s environmental aspects. Efforts and decisions undertaken by the management of the organization
may affect the performance of the organization’s operations, and therefore may contribute to the overall
environmental performance of the organization (see Figure 2).
Management performance indicators (MPIs) should provide information on the organization’s capability and efforts
in managing matters such as training, legal requirements, resource allocation and efficient utilisation, environmental
cost management, purchasing, product development, documentation, or corrective action which have or can have
an influence on the organization’s environmental performance. MPIs should assist evaluation of management
efforts, decisions and actions to improve environmental performance.
For example, MPIs can be used to track:
� implementation and effectiveness of various environmental management programmes;
� management actions which influence the environmental performance of the organization’s operations, and
possibly the condition of the environment;
� efforts of particular importance to the successful environmental management of the organization;
� environmental management capabilities of the organization, including flexibility to cope with changing
conditions, accomplishment of specific objectives, effective co-ordination, or problem-solving capacity;
� compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, and conformance with other requirements to which the
organization subscribes;
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ISO 14031:1999(E)
� financial costs or benefits.
In addition, effective MPIs can help to:
� predict changes in performance;
� identify root causes where actual performance exceeds, or does not meet, relevant environmental performance
criteria;
� identify opportunities for preventive action.
Examples of MPIs are provided in A.4.2.2 of this International Standard.
3.2.2.3 Selecting OPIs
Operational performance indicators (OPIs) should provide management with information on the environmental
performance of the organization’s operations. OPIs relate to:
� inputs: materials (e.g. processed, recycled, reused or raw materials; natural resources), energy and services;
� the supply of inputs to the organization’s operations;
� the design, installation, operation (including emergency events and non-routine operation), and maintenance of
the physical facilities and equipment of the organization;
� outputs: products (e.g. main products, by-products, recycled and reused materials), services, wastes (e.g.
solid, liquid, hazardous, non-hazardous, recyclable, reusable), and emissions (e.g. emissions to air, effluents to
water or land, noise, vibration, heat, radiation, light) resulting from the organization’s operations;
� the delivery of outputs resulting from the organization’s operations.
Figure 3 illustrates the organization’s operations, and Figure A.1 provides additional detail. Where multiple activities
or physical facilities produce or provide a particular product or service, the organization should take them into
account when evaluating environmental performance.
Examples of OPIs are provided in A.4.3.2 of this International Standard.
Figure 3 —The organization’s operations (general overview)
3.2.2.4 Selecting ECIs
Environmental condition indicators (ECIs) provide information about the local, regional, national or global condition
of the environment. The condition of the environment may change over time or with specific events. While ECIs are
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ISO 14031:1999(E)
not measures of impact on the environment, changes in ECIs can provide useful information on relationships
between the condition of the environment and an organization’s activities, products and services.
Organizations are encouraged to consider ECIs in their EPE. ECIs provide an organization with an environmental
context to support the:
� identification and management of its significant environmental aspects;
� assessment of the appropriateness of environmental performance criteria;
� selection of EPIs (MPIs and OPIs);
� establishment of a baseline against which to measure change;
� determination of environmental change over time in relation to an ongoing environmental programme;
� investigation of possible relationships between environmental condition and the organization’s activities,
products and services;
� determination of needs for action.
Development and application of ECIs is frequently the function of local, regional, national or international
government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and scientific and research institutions rather than the
function of an individual business organization. However, organizations that can identify a relationship between
their activities and the condition of some component of the environment may choose to develop their own ECIs as
an aid in evaluating their environmental performance as appropriate to their capabilities, interests and needs.
An organization that has identified a specific condition in the environment that results directly from its own activities,
products and services may wish to select EPIs (MPIs and OPIs) that link management efforts and operational
performance to changes in environmental conditions.
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ISO 14031:1999(E)
Examples of ECIs are provided in A.4.4.2 of this International Standard.
Practical Help Box No. 4
Examples to illustrate an identified environmental issue with selected linked indicators for EPE
EXAMPLE 1:
A service organization located in an area where air quality is known to be unsatisfactory uses air quality
information to select appropriate indicators for EPE, consistent with its objective to reduce its motor vehicle
emissions.
ECI:
� concentrations in the air of contaminants associated with motor vehicle emissions.
OPIs:
� reduction in motor vehicle emissions attributed to the use of alternative fuels;
� quantity of total fuels consumption;
� fuel efficiency by motor vehicle;
� frequency of vehicle maintenance;
� number of vehicles equipped with environmental control technologies.
MPIs:
� amount of money spent promoting public transportation and its use;
� number of hours of employee training in the benefits of the use of public transportation;
� effectiveness of efforts to reduce fuel consumption, improve vehicle maintenance and fuel efficiency, and
use alternative fuels.
EXAMPLE 2:
In a geographical region where environmental information indicates a diminishing water supply, an organization
may select indicators for EPE related to water conservation measures which it would not have chosen without
that information.
ECIs:
� groundwater level;
� rate of replenishment.
OPIs:
� quantity of water used per day;
� quantity of water used per unit of production.
MPI:
� amount of money spent on research into methods for reduction of water consumption.
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ISO 14031:1999(E)
3.3 Using data and information (Do)
3.3.1 General overview
Figure 4 illustrates the steps of using data and information to evaluate environmental performance. These steps are
further described in 3.3.2 through 3.3.5 below.
Figure 4 — Subclause 3.3
3.3.2 Collecting data
An organization should collect data regularly to provide input for calculating values for selected indicators for EPE.
Data should be collected systematically from appropriate sources at frequencies consistent with EPE planning.
Data collection procedures should ensure data reliability; this depends on factors such as availability, adequacy,
scientific and statistical validity and verifiability. Data collection should be supported by quality control and quality
assurance practices that ensure the data obtained are of the type and quality needed for EPE use. Data collection
procedures should include the appropriate identification, filing, storage, retrieval, and disposition of data and
information.
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ISO 14031:1999(E)
An organization may use its own data or data from other sources. For example, data can be collected from:
� monitoring and measuring;
� interviews and observations;
� regulatory reports;
� inventory and production records;
� financial and accounting records;
� purchasing records;
� environmental review, audit, or assessment reports;
� environmental training records;
� scientific reports and studies;
� government agencies, academic institutions and non-governmental organizations;
� suppliers and subcontractors;
� customers, consumers and interested parties;
� business associations.
3.3.3 Analysing and converting data
The collected data should be analysed and converted into information describing the organization’s environmental
performance, expressed as indicators for EPE. To avoid bias in the results, all relevant and reliable data that have
been collected should be considered.
Data analysis may include consideration of the data quality, validity, adequacy and completeness necessary to
produce reliable information.
Information describing the organization’s environmental performance can be developed using calculations, best
estimates, statistical methods and/or graphical techniques, or by indexing, aggregating or weighting.
3.3.4 Assessing information
The information derived from analysed data, expressed in terms of EPIs and possibly ECIs, should be compared
with the organization’s environmental performance criteria. This comparison may indicate progress or deficiencies
in environmental performance. The results of this comparison may be useful in understanding why the
environmental performance criteria have, or have not, been met. The information describing the organization’s
environmental performance and the results of the comparison, should be reported to management, to support
appropriate management actions to improve or sustain the level of environmental performance.
3.3.5 Reporting and communicating
3.3.5.1 General guidance
Environmental performance reporting and communicating provides useful information describing an organization’s
environmental performance. This information may be reported or communicated to interested parties within and
outside the organization, based on management’s assessment of needs and its audiences.
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Benefits of reporting and communicating environmental performance can include:
� helping the organization’s achievement of its environmental performance criteria;
� increasing awareness and dialogue about the organization’s environmental policies, environmental
performance criteria and relevant achievements;
� demonstrating the organization’s commitment and efforts to improving environmental performance;
� providing the mechanism to respond to concerns and questions about the organization’s environmental
aspects.
3.3.5.2 Internal reporting and communicating
Management should ensure that appropriate and necessary information describing the organization’s
environmental performance is communicated throughout the organization on a timely basis. This may assist
employees, contractors, and others related to the organization to fulfil their responsibilities, and the organization to
meet its environmental performance criteria. An organization may wish to consider this information in the review of
its environmental management system.
Examples of information describing the organization’s environmental performance can include:
� trends in the organization’s environmental performance (e.g. waste reduction);
� legislative and regulatory compliance;
� the organization’s conformance with other requirements to which it subscribes;
� cost savings or other financial results;
� opportunities or recommendations to improve an organization’s environmental performance.
3.3.5.3 External reporting and communicating
An organization may choose or may be required to issue environmental reports or statements providing information
describing its environmental performance to external interested parties. EPE provides information that an
organization may wish to include in its environmental reports or in other communications with external audiences.
A number of factors may influence an organization’s decision to voluntarily report information describing its
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