Philip Comella Published in the Air & Waste Management Association Newsletter
“Environmental Auditing in a Recession”

Philip Comella’s article, “Environmental Auditing in a Recession,” was published in the April 2009 issue of the Air & Waste Management Association Newsletter. In his article, Phil discusses how environmental auditing has evolved over the past twenty-five years from an oxymoron to become an integral part of the business world. Environmental programs serve the valuable function of self-detecting issues before they can grow into something of legal or environmental significance. However, the current economic climate is driving companies to decrease “soft” trainings and activities that do not produce an immediate economic return, which may include environmental and safety management programs.

For this reason, Phil provides guidelines that address how companies can cutback on environmental auditing without exposing themselves to the very risks these audits were intended to eliminate. Phil recommends that companies understand exactly what the law requires and conduct a company-specific environmental risk assessment to ensure the audit program is tailored to areas posing the greatest threat to health and the environment. He also recommends hiring experienced auditors, fixing problems as they arise, streamlining paperwork and communicating to employees the reasons behind their reduced measures.

Phil concludes that “the point is to use the recession as an opportunity to streamline audit programs to first, comply with the law, and second, to ensure it is relevant and responsive to the risks actually posed by the company’s practices. Regardless of the economic climate, the old adage ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ remains not only true in the environmental and safety field, but one of its most compelling illustrations.”