Management system guidance
9.1 Monitoring, Measurement, Analysis and Evaluation
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9.1.1 Monitoring, measurement, analysis and evaluation - EMS general
The organization has to determine what it needs to monitor and measure. This includes the determination of the criteria against which the quality, environmental and safety performance will be evaluated including appropriate indicators. Some examples on what to measure your organization’s progress on environmental objectives, characteristics of operational activities, products and services related to significant environmental aspects and the status of compliance obligations.
How does your organization carry out these monitoring and measurement activities in order to ensure that the results obtained are valid? These methods may include, as appropriate, statistical techniques to be applied to the analysis of those results. When monitoring and measurement should be carried out and at what stage the results of monitoring and measurement should be analyzed and evaluated.
You should note the additional requirement for your organization to evidence evaluation of the results of monitoring and measurement, not just their analysis. They should confirm that the organization has considered what, how and when to measure and that the outcomes from this decision result are ensuring appropriate process control.
Also note a new requirement to monitor the performance and effectiveness of your organization’s EMS. You should expect to see that your organization has developed a process (method, techniques, format, etc.) to identify, collect and analyze various data and information from both internal and external sources, including:
- EMS records;
- Monitoring and measuring results;
- Process performance results;
- Meeting objectives;
- Internal audit findings;
- Customer surveys and feedback;
- 2nd or 3rd party audit results;
- Competitor and benchmarking information;
- Product test results;
- Supplier performance information.
This ‘input’ (information and data) should reflect upon the adequacy, suitability and effectiveness of the environmental management system and its processes. The ‘output’ (result of the analysis) must provide information (understanding, insight, awareness, confidence, knowledge of, etc.). The analysis output must provide insight to:
- Customer satisfaction and perception;
- Product conformance;
- Process performance;
- Product and process characteristics;
- Trends in products and processes;
- Opportunities for preventive action;
- Suppliers and subcontractors.
Other potential or useful options might include:
- Need for corrective action;
- Opportunity for improvement;
- Competition.
Documented information and organizational knowledge that records process data should be considered for analysis. Records are evidence of system performance and should be analyzed for potential improvements. Monitoring and measuring EMS operations and activities will establish a mechanism to ensure that your organization is meeting its policies, objectives and targets. In order to meet this requirement, your organization must perform six steps:
- Step 1 - Identify the activities that can have a significant impacts and risks;
- Step 2 - Determine key characteristics of the activity to be monitored;
- Step 3 - Select the best way to measure the key characteristics;
- Step 4 - Record data on performance, controls and conformance with objectives and targets;
- Step 5 - Determine the frequency with which to measure the key characteristics;
- Step 6 - Establish management review and reporting.
Establish the monitoring and tracking criteria for each activity that has a significant impact or risk and review the action plan. You should incorporate any monitoring and measurement information to cover these same activities.
More information on PDCA
Planning
Context
Planning
Support
Doing
Support
Operations
Checking
Monitoring, measurement, analysis and evaluation
Acting
Improvement
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