CSA Preface 

This is the third edition of CSA ISO 14031, Environmental management - Environmental performance evaluation - Guidelines, which is an adoption without modification of the identically titled ISO (International Organization for Standardization) Standard 14031 (third edition, 2021-03). It supersedes the previous edition, published in 2014 as CAN/CSA-ISO 14031 (adopted ISO 14031:2013). For brevity, this Standard will be referred to as "CSA ISO 14031" throughout. 

The changes compared to the previous edition are as follows: 

- terminological entries have been added and updated from CSA ISO 14001:16, Environmental management systems 

- Requirements with guidance for use, and ISO 14050; 

- terms such as "condition of the environment" have been revised to "environmental condition" in accordance with CSA ISO 14001; and 

- the references have been updated. Standards development within the Canadian Environmental Management sector is harmonized with International Standards development. 

This Standard has been developed in compliance with Standards Council of Canada requirements for National Standards of Canada. It has been published as a National Standards of Canada by CSA Group. 

Scope 

This document gives guidelines for the design and use of environmental performance evaluation (EPE) within an organization. It is applicable to all organizations, regardless of type, size, location and complexity. This document does not establish environmental performance levels. It is not intended for use for the establishment of any other environmental management system (EMS) conformity requirements. The guidance in this document can be used to support an organization's own approach to EPE including its commitments to compliance with legal and other requirements, the prevention of pollution and continual improvement, among others. 

NOTE This document is a generic standard and does not include guidance on specific methods for valuing or weighting different kinds of impacts in different kinds of sectors, disciplines, etc. Depending on the nature of the organization's activities, there is often a need to also go to other sources for additional information and guidance on sector-specific topics, different subject matters or different scientific disciplines.