Yes. The key is to look for accreditation for the specific inspection/audit scope, not merely a consultant who says they are “ISO certified.”
A practical way to find one
Define exactly what compliance audit you need.
Write down:
Environmental regulations/standards involved (e.g., EPA requirements, RCRA, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, state rules)
Facility/process being audited
Geographic jurisdiction
Whether the deliverable must be accepted by a regulator, customer, lender, insurer, or certification scheme
Whether you need an inspection, an environmental compliance audit, laboratory testing, or an ISO management-system audit.
Look for the appropriate accreditation.
For independent inspection organizations, ISO/IEC 17020 is an important credential. It addresses the competence, impartiality, and consistent operation of inspection bodies. The current international standard is ISO/IEC 17020:2026.
In the U.S., you can search accredited inspection bodies through organizations such as:
Importantly, accreditation is scope-specific. ANAB explains that its assessment looks at technical competence for particular inspections, not simply whether an organization has a generic ISO credential.
Check the company's actual scope of accreditation.
Ask the prospective firm for its current accreditation certificate and scope. Don't stop at a logo saying “ISO 17020 accredited.” The scope should cover the particular environmental inspection/audit activity you require.
Verify independence.
If you specifically need a third-party inspection, ask whether the organization operates as an independent Type A inspection body under ISO/IEC 17020. ISO 17020 distinguishes Type A, B, and C inspection bodies based partly on their relationship to the parties involved.
Confirm the regulatory acceptance separately.
Accreditation does not automatically mean that a particular EPA program, state environmental agency, permit, or customer will accept the resulting audit. Ask the regulator or program owner what qualifications it requires.
A useful request to send companies
“Please provide your current accreditation certificate and detailed scope of accreditation, including the specific environmental inspection/audit activities covered. Please also identify the accreditation body, your ISO/IEC 17020 status and inspection-body type, relevant auditor/inspector qualifications, and examples of comparable regulatory compliance audits performed in [jurisdiction].”
One important distinction: if you're looking for an ISO 14001 environmental management-system audit, that's a somewhat different search—the relevant certification-body accreditation framework is generally ISO/IEC 17021-1, rather than simply ISO/IEC 17020. For greenhouse-gas verification, another framework such as ISO 14065 may be relevant; ANAB accredits bodies under that standard as well.
If you tell me the specific environmental compliance audit (e.g., RCRA, SPCC, Clean Air Act, ISO 14001, stormwater, hazardous waste) and the state/country, I can search for accredited firms that actually have the relevant scope.
Finding a certified third-party company for specific environmental compliance audits requires matching your exact regulatory framework (such as EPA requirements, ISO standards, or state rules) with an auditor's recognized accreditations.
Here is a step-by-step process to source, verify, and select a qualified compliance auditing firm:
Identify the Specific Regulatory or Certification Framework
Determine whether you need an audit for federal standards (like US EPA compliance), international frameworks (like ISO 14001 for Environmental Management Systems), or specialized regional/state permits (such as stormwater CESSWI certifications).
Search Accredited Bodies and Directories
Look for firms listed in official or industry-recognized directories. For instance, you can cross-reference designated compliance experts via the EPA Approved Test Labs and Third-Party Certifiers Table or national environmental professional associations.
Search for auditor registries maintained by official accreditation bodies like the ANAB (ANSI National Accreditation Board) , which accredits ISO 14001 certification bodies.
Verify Individual and Corporate Credentials
Ensure the firm employs professionals holding recognized individual certifications, such as REM (Registered Environmental Manager), CEA (Certified Environmental Auditor), or specific state/local inspector credentials.
Request proof of their specific scope of accreditation to guarantee their certification covers your industry sector (e.g., air emissions, hazardous waste, wastewater, or stormwater).
Review Experience and Conflict of Interest Policies
Confirm that the third-party company has explicit, verified experience auditing facilities similar in size and operational scope to yours.
Ensure they meet independence requirements—meaning they have no prior engineering, consulting, or operational conflicts of interest with your facility that could compromise audit neutrality.
If you tell me what specific industry or environmental standard (e.g., ISO 14001, Clean Air Act, local stormwater) you need audited, I can help find the exact regulatory directories or accreditation bodies to start your search.
