Environmental policy and governance
A publicly available policy, senior-management responsibility, staff awareness and controlled procedures.
Ethical Trade Alliance · Environmental stewardship
Practical Environmental Stewardship for a Stronger Tomorrow.
Demonstrate responsible environmental management with independent audits against the ETA Environmental Stewardship Standard. Protect resources, control pollution risks and build confidence in your operations.
Independent audits
Conducted by Blue Wolf Certifications
Practical standard
Risk-based operational requirements
Environmental controls
Air, water, waste and biodiversity
ETA certification
ETA certification Certificate issued by Ethical Trade Alliance
Stakeholder confidence
Independent review of management practices
Responsible operations, independently assessed
Environmental Stewardship Certification
The ETA Environmental Stewardship Standard sets out auditable requirements to prevent, identify, manage and remediate adverse environmental impacts arising from an organisation’s own operations.
It covers environmental policies, management accountability, site-level risk assessments, applicable legal obligations, operating controls, incident response, monitoring and public reporting. It is intended for organisations of different sizes and sectors.
Blue Wolf conducts the independent audits. Ethical Trade Alliance makes the certification decision and issues the certificate.
What the standard examines
Risk assessment and controls
Identification and prioritisation of risks to air, water, land, biodiversity and communities, with proportionate controls.
Legal and permit obligations
A process for identifying and monitoring applicable environmental laws, permits and binding requirements.
Incidents and remediation
Reporting, investigation, corrective action and timely remediation of spills, releases and other adverse impacts.
Inspections and preparedness
Independent site inspections, waste and chemical controls, stormwater protection and emergency response.
Monitoring and transparency
Performance indicators, periodic internal audits, records and at least annual public environmental reporting.
How ETA Environmental Stewardship Certification Works
Discuss scope and activities
Tell us about your sites, operations and environmental risk profile so an appropriate audit can be planned.
Independent Blue Wolf audit
Our auditors assess the implemented policies, risk assessments, controls, inspections and objective evidence against ETA requirements.
ETA certification decision
Audit outcomes are reviewed through ETA’s certification process. ETA, not Blue Wolf, issues the certificate when requirements are satisfied.
Environmental performance with practical evidence
Relevant evidence may include environmental risk registers, monitoring and inspection records, permits, incident logs, emergency plans, training, internal audit findings and corrective actions. The standard requires records to be retained for at least five years and environmental performance information to be published at least annually.
Its primary focus is environmental impacts arising from the organisation’s own operations. Supplier policy expectations may apply where relevant, but the standard does not establish a universal supplier social-audit programme.
Already certified to ISO 14001? Existing processes and evidence may support ETA implementation, but ISO 14001 certification does not automatically confer ETA certification.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues the Environmental Stewardship certificate?
Ethical Trade Alliance (ETA) issues the certificate following its certification process. Blue Wolf Certifications performs the independent audits.
Is this the same as ISO 14001?
No. ETA Environmental Stewardship is a separate standard. Its requirements may complement existing ISO 14001 systems, but certification to one does not mean certification to the other.
What environmental issues are assessed?
The standard addresses risks associated with air emissions, water and wastewater, waste, chemicals, biodiversity, site controls, incident response and legal obligations, as applicable to the organisation’s activities.
Does certification guarantee environmental legal compliance?
No. Certification independently assesses systems and controls against the ETA standard; it does not guarantee compliance with every legal requirement or the absence of environmental incidents.
Can we purchase the ETA standard?
Yes. Contact Blue Wolf to enquire about obtaining the Environmental Stewardship Standard and the available purchasing arrangements.
Demonstrate Your Commitment to Environmental Stewardship
Speak with Blue Wolf about an independent ETA audit or obtaining the standard.