An audit is the examination of an organisation’s current situation. It may be about verifying the documentation concerning the institution’s environmental obligations (environmental audit), analysis of its supply chain and its environmental impact (sustainable development audit) or investigating the daily practices of employees, processes and the way the building is used. Auditors rely on documents, interviews with employees and collaborators, observation of their practices and ways of using space (human-space-environment). Using various tools, they search for areas for optimisation aimed at maximising effective use of resources (‘zero waste/less waste’ audit) and set green priorities.
The introduction of recommendations may require reorganisation or reveal management errors. An audit is a demanding process for an institution. It is important to make proper preparation beforehand and establish the aim of the audit and the tools employed in carrying it out. Audits cost money to carry out, it is also necessary to collate the appropriate documentation, engage the team to cooperate with the auditors and plan the implementation of changes. At the same time, this is a useful tool for defining available resources and mapping greening stages and areas for improvement. Audits may also motivate employees to continue to work for the environment. (see: THE GREEN TEAM, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, INSTITUTIONAL POLICY).
Survey
In order to prepare your team for the audit, carry out a survey of the associations they make with ecology. This will allow you to assess the level of employees’ ecological knowledge. The survey may concern the role of humans in ecosystems and the way people contribute to degradation. Another perspective would be to investigate the habits of people working in the cultural sector in the context of their daily routines. Such preliminary steps may help us find out what employees currently know, what they are interested in and what pro-environmental activities they implement on their own. This process may reveal different definitions of ecology and differing perceptions in the priorities and capabilities of the institution.
Some questions which may be used in the survey are as follows:
– Which of my activities or choices would I define as ecological?
– Which activities and choices which I observe in my environment do I consider ecological?
– Are there any activities regarded as ecological which I do not understand and do not see the point of?
– Are there any activities which I would like to get to know and understand better but which currently seem to me too complex, specialist or expensive?
– Which activities regarded as ecological do I consider to be of priority?
– Do I want to act for the environment?
– Should the organisation for which I work act to protect the environment?
Self-education on pro-environmental topics
Read regulations concerning waste sorting or emissions reporting – most institutions are obliged to comply with these regulations. An institution may apply to the relevant office to receive the interpretation of its environmental duties suited to its particular type of operations. Legal aspects of various activities are subject to change but being up to date with the current regulations will allow you to make adequate decisions. For example, if you are aware that a fee for a particular type of packaging will be introduced soon, you will be able to make a decision to refrain from buying it. Self-education may also be carried out through reading relevant texts within your group or meeting with people from other cultural institutions to share experiences.
> Reliable sources of knowledge can be found, for example, in the Climate Knowledge Database, which monitors materials on climate change, verifies their quality, and then includes them in its online repository. It is also worth referring to materials published by specific cultural institutions which collect reflections from a given sector: https://klimatycznabazawiedzy.org
> ‘Nauka o klimacie’ (Climate Science) is one of the most popular websites devoted to science and climate in Poland. It includes both scientific articles and commentary on current events affecting climate change policy.
> Global Compact Network Poland climate knowledge database.
STEP 2
Try analysing the consumption of various resources within your institution and consider how it could be reduced. Think about how you can influence the supply chain through sustainable purchasing and tenders with environmental criteria. It is also worth looking at the habits of employees and through education and joint development of new rules making them more eco-friendly. At this stage, it is also necessary to seek the opinion of experts who will help you check the extent of your knowledge and its limitations. If you have the necessary financial resources, hire an external company to conduct the audit. Select the scope and type of audit according to your needs, resources (time, human resources) and funding. Examples of types of audits related to pro-environmental changes in institutions include:
Environmental audit (documentation + legal compliance)
It focuses on the analysis of documents confirming environmental impact. Auditors analyse reports on waste management, registration of appliances and cooling systems with the Central Register of Operators and emissions from vehicle engines. Such a review makes it possible to assess whether the institution’s operations are in line with current environmental protection regulations. Proper reporting makes it possible to assess the scale of an institution’s impact in certain areas (e.g. carbon dioxide emissions). Permits and registrations of installations, contracts with recycling companies (such as packaging recycling companies), contracts with rubbish collection companies, with waterworks, technical data sheets of devices used by the institution, data sheets of chemical preparations, documents related to tests of water or gas emissions are all under scrutiny. Auditors should have access to people who are knowledgeable about the specificity of the organisation, as well as technical installations and technological solutions.
Sustainable development audit (environmental impact regarding water, soil, air + supply chain)
The audit assesses the impact on the environment through the analysis of the supply chain. This means that areas previously examined within the organisation – e.g. gas emissions related to vehicle use, water consumption – are also analysed in terms of suppliers and purchases. Auditors also verify the rational management of existing resources (e.g. display cases, frames, stationery), including environmental criteria in tenders and requests for proposals, as well as analysing products ordered (e.g. checking for certificates, composition or recyclable materials).
‘Zero waste’ audit
This is based on the results of the environmental audit. Additional information is collected in various ways, e.g. through observations of the way space is used and conversations with employees. A ‘zero waste’ audit may concern lighting, biophilic motives (contact with nature, e.g. plants in the office), functionality and use of social facilities, storage methods, organisation of work, pro-environmental amenities (e.g. infrastructure for cyclists). Auditors can prepare photo documentation and pay an on-site visit. Sometimes they also visit galleries, bookshops or restaurants as customers to experience solutions from a user’s perspective. The estimated cost of a ‘zero waste’ audit ranges from PLN 10,000 to PLN 50,000 depending on size and type of the institution and the scope. The result of the audit is a report with recommendations, which concern remedial and optional action. Remedial action usually concerns changes necessary for compliance with regulations. The changes should be implemented at this stage. Some institutions in Poland have already had their audits carried out. A discussion about the audit at the Zachęta gallery in Warsaw can be found on their Facebook fanpage.
> An environmental audit was carried out at CK Zamek in Poznań (2019), which consisted of research into the operations of various departments and surveys. The audit lasted about a week. The institution was keen to develop an action plan. The administration department, which is involved in green issues, has been a great support. Based on the audit, recommendations for further work were made and a team ‘Zamek dla Klimatu’ (‘Castle for Climate’) was formed. During the pandemic, the institution experimented with the building’s lighting. Partial dimming resulted in savings, but it also had a broader dimension – it educated the public about the conscious use of resources and showed a different approach to illumination. A number of significant changes were made at the institution: most of the car parks were removed and replaced with green spaces, gardens, a pavilion and a fountain. The aim was to link environmental issues with accessibility. Other infrastructural changes were implemented, such as replacing windows and lighting with more energy-efficient ones, replacing lifts/elevators with ramps where possible and appropriate, and replacing security systems. An ‘eco-storage room’ was created, where art materials and equipment for general use are stored. Some items are sold after exhibitions. These practical measures of wise resource management are accompanied by a programme that often addresses issues of the environment, social justice or climate justice. At the same time, staff members, including the ‘Castle for Climate’ team, place greater emphasis on systemic changes than on focusing on the proverbial drinking straw or cup.
STEP 3
Implementation of recommendations and optional action
At this stage, we have a report with up-to-date information and proposals for reducing the negative impact of the institution on the environment.
Let all staff members know about the report. Consultations with employees on how these changes should be implemented may facilitate the process. The ‘green team’ may be useful here. (see: THE GREEN TEAM).
Prepare for a multi-stage and long-term process of implementing the recommendations and decide whether you will take this challenge single-handedly or with external training and consulting support.
Certificates
Cultural institutions and organisations can apply to have their environmental activities verified by external committees, which will take a more systematic approach than is possible in individual audits.
> The Green Key certificate is the leading standard for excellence in the field of environmental responsibility and sustainable operation within the tourism industry. It represents a commitment by businesses and organisations that their premises adhere to the strict criteria set by the Foundation for Environmental Education. The high environmental standards expected of these establishments are maintained through rigorous documentation and frequent audits. At the same time, it is a certificate that promotes the broad concept of green transition and refers not only to resource management but also to social responsibility.
The first institution in Poland to receive the Green Key certificate was the Muzeum Śląskie in Katowice. The certificate confirms the application of environmental protection standards in facility management and the sustainable operation of tourist facilities. Interest in ecology at this institution began from the bottom up, and the motivation for action on a larger scale was the development of the museum in 2016 in connection with their move to new premises. For example, there was a need for different reporting in the context of waste management, among other things. Discussions began with employees about waste segregation, and it turned out that staff had many good habits that they wanted to transfer to the institution, not only to manage waste better, but also to introduce measures to save electricity and water. The management supported these initiatives and began cooperation with the Foundation for Environmental Education (2018). First, a series of workshops was organised, and then the institution decided to undergo an audit, which resulted in Green Key certification. The audit analysed the infrastructure situation: the facility, energy and water management, cooperation with external companies, and care for green areas. An action plan (environmental policy) was developed, which has been implemented and updated ever since. In the meantime, a Green Key Team was set up to lead the green transition. One of the biggest successes is the installation of photovoltaic panels, which provide the institution with approximately 10% of its energy needs. Currently, the biggest challenge is to introduce electronic document circulation on a larger scale and to implement systematic measures to reduce the consumption of materials at exhibitions.
The European Solidarity Centre (ECS) obtained the international Green Key certificate in 2024. This was achieved thanks to the ECS Green Team, which prepared the institution for this undertaking. It is the second cultural institution to receive this distinction. For ECS, the certificate was a big step forward in terms of its green path. It allowed the institution to translate ideas into indicators, and to adapt the indicators to the specific nature of the institution and make them more formal. Thanks to the Green Key certificate, it is easier for the institution to set new goals, implement them and communicate them.
Here is the process that the European Solidarity Centre went through on its way to obtaining the certificate:
1. The auditor was contacted, indicators were defined, and a zero audit (test form) was conducted. At this stage, it was important for the team to meet with a representative of the certifying organisation.
2. The indicators were adjusted to the specificity of the institution in consultation with the auditor (e.g. the certificate required the appointment of a person responsible for environmental management, which at ECS resulted in the creation of a Green Team and the appointment of a person to coordinate its work).
3. The institution’s activities were implemented and adjusted to the indicators, while at the same time there was a growing understanding that obtaining the certificate was part of a longer and continuous process of improving solutions.
4. An audit similar to a zero audit was conducted. Together with the certifying body, the ECS team went through all the indicators, and an on-site inspection was carried out at the same time.
The cost of the certificate in 2025 was PLN 3,620.50 net plus VAT (rate for public institutions).
Why can an audit be important for a team?
It is a way of recognising the efforts made so far. An audit allows you to establish a clear plan and set new goals, which motivates people to work on them. The involvement of managers in the audit will help to consolidate green change in the institution.
