Course description

This practitioner course shows how to design and operate an Environmental Performance Evaluation (EPE) program aligned with ISO 14031:2021. You’ll connect business objectives to a coherent set of indicators covering management activities, operational performance, and environmental conditions, with clear baselines, targets, and data controls. We translate the standard’s guidance, applicable to organizations of any size or sector—into a practical workflow that balances accuracy, frequency, and cost, and we emphasize robust interpretation to drive decisions and continual improvement. The 2021 third edition (a minor revision of 2013) clarifies guidance without setting performance levels; you’ll learn what that means for indicator design and reporting. EPE can stand alone or support your EMS and ESG reporting; we show how to build audit-ready evidence and feed results into management review. Canadian notes cover typical permit metrics and disclosure expectations.

Note: CSA (Canadian Standards Association) adopted ISO 14031:2021 in Canada as CSA ISO 14031:22 (adoption without modification).

What you’ll learn

• Translate ISO 14031 into a practical EPE workflow

• Build an indicator register with baselines, targets, and data sources

• Plan monitoring, assurance, normalization, and comparators

• Interpret trends; test significance; prioritize improvements

• Prepare decision-ready reports and management review inputs

• Integrate EPE with ISO 14001 and ESG reporting; avoid “performance level” claims

• Use EPE alongside audits to drive improvement

• Operate EPE with or without an EMS

Who should attend

• Environmental/ESG managers and coordinators

• Operations, utilities, and maintenance leaders

• Process and environmental engineers

• Data/BI analysts supporting sustainability reporting

• Quality/IMS managers integrating multiple ISO systems

Recommended

• Basic ISO 14001 awareness

• Familiarity with site processes and metering/monitoring

• Comfort with spreadsheets and simple statistics

• Prior exposure to PDCA or management systems

• Awareness of local regulatory/permit metrics