Environment and Safety Compliance Audits in Pakistan

An environment and safety compliance audit establishes, on evidence, which environmental and occupational safety obligations apply to a site and whether the organisation is meeting the obligations, and itmad provides environment and safety compliance audits in Pakistan against legislation, permits and client HSE requirements, with Pakistan-based auditors and a travelling team. Audits follow the principles of ISO 19011. itmad has worked in Pakistan for more than 10 years. Last reviewed: October 2026.

What an environment and safety compliance audit establishes

Environmental and occupational safety obligations come from several directions at once: legislation, the conditions written into permits, the requirements that a client has imposed by contract, and whatever the HSE management system of the organisation commits the organisation to. A compliance audit establishes, on evidence, which of the obligations apply to a site and whether the organisation is meeting the obligations.

What itmad audits against

• Legislation and permitsEnvironmental and occupational safety obligations arise from applicable Pakistani legislation. Requirements differ by activity and by permit, so itmad identifies the regime that actually governs a site rather than auditing against a generic checklist.
• Client and contractual HSE requirementsMajor operators impose HSE requirements that go well beyond legislation, and the requirements are enforceable through the contract rather than through a regulator. Audits are conducted against the HSE specification or project HSE plan of the client, or against corporate standards where corporate standards are the benchmark the organisation is held to.
• Contractor and supply chain HSEWhere an organisation carries responsibility for contractors working on the site or under the contract, audits are conducted at the premises and worksites of the contractors on behalf of the organisation. The audit answers whether the HSE arrangements of a contractor exist on paper only or are actually implemented by the crews doing the work. The audit is used for pre-qualification before award, at intervals through a long contract, and after an incident.

ISO 14001 and ISO 45001

Audits can be conducted against the requirements of ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 as a gap assessment or readiness review. One restriction applies: itmad is a certification body, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 prohibits a certification body from performing internal audits for an organisation that the body certifies. Where itmad holds the ISO 14001 or ISO 45001 certification of an organisation, itmad does not audit the organisation against ISO 14001 or ISO 45001 in any other capacity. Compliance audits against legislation, permits and contractual HSE requirements are not audits of the certified management system, and where itmad holds the certification of an organisation, itmad assesses impartiality before accepting such an audit.

How an environment and safety compliance audit is conducted

• Establishing the applicable requirements for the specific site, activity and permits, which is usually the part that clients have least visibility of
• Review of permits, licences, consents and their conditions, including expiry and renewal status
• Examination of the controls in place for identified hazards and environmental aspects
• Physical inspection of the workplace, including areas not on the planned route
• Sampling of records: monitoring data, emissions and discharge results, waste transfer documentation, training and competence, statutory inspection certificates, incidents, and maintenance
• Interviews at the levels where requirements are actually met, not only with HSE personnel
• Verification that corrective actions from previous audits and regulatory inspections were completed and remain effective

When environment and safety compliance audits are used

• Ahead of a scheduled regulatory inspection, to find gaps before the regulator does
• As a condition of contract award or client HSE pre-qualification
• Where an insurer requires independent verification of HSE controls
• Following a serious incident, enforcement notice or regulatory finding
• When taking on a new site, lease or acquisition and inheriting unknown liabilities
• At agreed intervals under a corporate HSE assurance programme
• Before applying for or renewing an environmental permit

Auditors and approach

Audits are planned and conducted following the principles of ISO 19011, which governs auditor competence, the evidence-based approach and impartiality. Auditors are qualified in HSE disciplines and experienced in the sector being audited, which matters because recognising that a control is inadequate requires knowing how the work is actually done.

How itmad delivers environment and safety compliance audits in Pakistan

itmad delivers environment and safety compliance audits in Pakistan through Pakistan-based auditors and a travelling team.

What itmad provides

• A report stating each applicable requirement, the evidence examined, and whether the requirement is met
• Findings classified by severity, separating legal non-compliance from best-practice improvement
• Gaps prioritised so that legal exposure and immediate safety risk are addressed first
• The specific legal or contractual reference for each finding, so the finding can be verified independently
• Photographic evidence where a physical condition is the finding
• Findings in the audit or scorecard format of the client, on request
• Follow-up verification of corrective action, where included in scope

Frequently asked questions

What is an environment and safety compliance audit?

An environment and safety compliance audit establishes, on evidence, which environmental and occupational safety obligations apply to a site and whether the organisation is meeting the obligations. The obligations come from legislation, permit conditions, client contract requirements and the HSE management system of the organisation.

What does an environment and safety compliance audit assess against?

An environment and safety compliance audit assesses against legislation and permits, client and contractual HSE requirements, and corporate HSE standards, including contractor and supply chain HSE arrangements. Audits can also be conducted against ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 as a gap assessment or readiness review.

What are contractor and supply chain HSE audits?

Contractor and supply chain HSE audits are conducted at the premises and worksites of contractors on behalf of the organisation that carries responsibility for the contractors. The audit answers whether the HSE arrangements of a contractor exist on paper only or are actually implemented by the crews doing the work.

When are environment and safety compliance audits used?

Environment and safety compliance audits are used ahead of a scheduled regulatory inspection, as a condition of contract award or client HSE pre-qualification, and where an insurer requires independent verification of HSE controls. Environment and safety compliance audits are also used following a serious incident, enforcement notice or regulatory finding, when taking on a new site, and before applying for or renewing an environmental permit.

Does itmad use auditors based in Pakistan?

itmad uses both Pakistan-based auditors and a travelling team for environment and safety compliance audits in Pakistan. itmad has worked in Pakistan for more than 10 years.