Audits of the EMS can be carried out by organisation personnel, and/or by external parties selected by the organisation. In any case, the person conducting the audit should be in a position to do so objectively and impartially and should be properly trained.

Organisations can have individual auditors or a team of auditors. Whichever is the case, a minimum of two auditors is necessary, to ensure that:

• Audits are objective and impartial - auditors should not audit activities that they are in direct control of
• Absence does not affect the audit programme - employees who have been trained in auditing the organisations EMS may have left the organisation

ISO 14012: Guidelines for Environmental Auditing - Qualification criteria for Environmental Auditors establishes the minimum qualifications required in:

• Education
• Work experience
• Auditor training
• Personal skills
• Professional care

Auditors should have a knowledge of the area being audited, technical issues, environmental management and environmental issues, and regulatory issues. It is the responsibility of top management to support the audit process by allocating sufficient resources and time to achieve its objectives and cover its scope.