Audits aim to determine compliance with a company's policies and applicable laws, regulations and voluntary obligations as well as evaluate performance and the effectiveness of management systems.

Rio Tinto's environment standards require Group businesses to establish a process of internal environmental audits covering environmental performance and their EMS. Eighty nine per cent of operations carried out at least one internal or external environmental audit in 2003.

In addition to audits carried out by Group businesses, Rio Tinto's internal assurance programme includes a range of audits and reviews undertaken by the corporate functions.