Audit & Certification
What if an existing ISO 14001 certified EMS is in place?
Recognition will be given to organisations which are already certified to ISO14001 in relation to components of the CWFA Scheme, provided that a current ISO14001 certificate is made available and that the certification body's most recent audit report is suitable.
What is the process for achieving certification?
Clean Energy Council, the Accreditation Body responsible for the CWFA Scheme, has appointed a panel of specialist Certification Bodies to carry out independent auditing of participating organisations. (see Certification Bodies)
The appointed independent Certification Body will recommend certification to Clean Energy Council.
Successful participants will be certified to the CWFA Scheme for the Planning or Operations Phases of a Wind Farm Development or for both.
For the Operations Phase, the certified organisation can elect to include all or some of its sites.
Participating members contract a Certification Body from the Panel approved by the Clean Energy Council who will provide a pool of pre-qualified auditors nationally.
How are auditors selected?
Auditors will be available from Certification Bodies if they:
- Are certified as Auditors/Lead Auditors in Environmental Management Systems/ISO 14001, and
- Have relevant industry/environmental experience in legal and planning requirements, natural resource and ecosystem management and construction operations
When do the audits take place?
There is flexibility with the timing of the audits. This will be a matter for agreement between the participant and their Certification Body. The first assessment will determine whether the participant's management system documentation conforms with the requirements of the Scheme.
For planning phase certification it is recommended that participants are sufficiently through the planning/development process before an application is made. Checklists are available for scheme participants which outline the broad requirements which need to be demonstrated for both planning and operations.
Will business information gained by auditors be confidential?
The Certification Bodies will arrange confidentiality agreements with participants and will recommend certification or otherwise to the Clean Energy Council. All audit records will be maintained by the Certification Body with a recommendation regarding certification being provided to Clean Energy Council.
