ISO 14064 is an internationally recognised standard that helps businesses measure, manage, and report their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
As pressure is increasing on businesses to take action on climate change, this standard provides a clear framework to track a company’s environmental impact and initiatives regarding the reduction of its emissions. Here is what you need to know about the definition of ISO 14064, details about its standards, and its benefits for companies.
Definition of ISO 14064
ISO 14064 is an international standard developed by the International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) to help companies transparently measure, manage, and report their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Initially introduced in 2006 and updated in 2018, it is part of the broader ISO 14000 family of standards focused on environmental management.
What are the ISO 14064 standards?
Source: ISO 14064-1:2018.
The ISO 14064 standards are divided into three parts, each one of them being focused on different aspects of GHG reporting:
- ISO 14064-1: Organisational level. You will find the principles and requirements for quantifying and reporting your company’s overall GHG emissions, which is extremely useful to measure better your company’s carbon footprint and guarantee transparent reporting;
- ISO 14064-2: Project level. This other is particularly useful for organisations involved in projects that aim to reduce emissions or sequester carbon;
- ISO 14064-3: Validation and verification. This last part directly provides the requirements for validating and verifying your company’s GHG reports and claims for third-party verification.
At Plan A, we support companies in navigating the complexities of carbon management, using tools that align perfectly with ISO 14064 to achieve real progress on their sustainability journeys.
The components of ISO 14064
The ISO 14064 standards are specifically designed for companies to manage their GHG emissions on different levels. How? Each component targets a specific aspect of emissions management, from corporate to product-level footprints.
ISO 14064-1 for corporate carbon footprint
The ISO-14064-1 standard measures a company’s carbon footprint across its operations, including all GHG emissions.
ISO 14064-2 for project carbon footprint
ISO 14064-2 only applies to specific projects with two goals: reducing emissions or enhancing carbon removal. Thanks to this ISO standard, companies will more easily quantify and monitor the GHG impacts of these projects with complete transparency and accountability.
ISO 14067 for product carbon footprint
This other standard concerns the carbon footprint of individual products and provides methods to calculate the emissions associated with a product's entire lifecycle. If your company is willing to understand and optimise its products' environmental impact, this standard is the right one.
ISO 14064-3 for the verification and validation of GHG statements
The last component of ISO 14064 is ISO 14064-3, which sets the guidelines for verifying and validating GHG reports and claims. Thanks to third-party verification, this component ensures that the data provided by businesses or specific projects are accurate.
What are the benefits of ISO 14064 certification for companies?
Here are the main benefits of ISO 14064 certification for companies, with a focus on actionable improvements:
- Being able to improve your company's credibility: ISO 14064 certification is mainly interesting regarding its ability to enhance your company’s reputation simply by demonstrating a transparent and accountable approach to managing greenhouse gas emissions;
- Improve your risk management: The ISO 14064 certification tracks your company’s GHG emissions, which means that this certification is useful for identifying the risks related to supply chain challenges and potential reputational issues, managing these risks more efficiently, and keeping your company ahead of regulatory changes;
- Significantly increase your operational efficiency: While identifying inefficiencies and reducing your company’s energy consumption, you will at the same time promote more sustainable resource use across your business and, of course, lower your operational costs;
- Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements: Regulations on carbon emissions have never been so tight, so the ISO 14064 certification ensures that your company meets the proper legal requirements and avoids penalties;
- Gain access to new markets and funding opportunities: Certified companies are way more attractive to eco-conscious customers and even investors, giving you a competitive edge and improving your chances of accessing new markets focused on sustainability;
- Contribute to global climate goals: Finally, an ISO 14064 certification will allow your company to actively support international carbon reduction efforts, which is an excellent way to prove your commitment to sustainability and engagement in general.
If you’re ready to optimise your corporate sustainability strategy, you can start future-proofing your business by enhancing your decarbonisation efforts and setting clear goals to achieve net-zero. Explore how you can make a lasting impact on both the environment and your bottom line.
How to obtain the ISO 14064 certification?
The first thing to know is that the ISO 14064 certification is not issued directly by ISO but by external bodies. Even if this complicates the obtention process, ensuring the certification’s credibility is useful.
To obtain an ISO 14064 certification, the first step is to partner with a recognised certification body to guide you through the process. Then, your company will need to:
- Establish a greenhouse gas (GHG) quantification process;
- Agree on a long-term GHG management strategy aligned with your company’s environmental goals;
- Quantify all carbon emission sources and sinks;
- Obtain validation and verification by an independent certification body to ensure compliance with ISO 14064 standards.
Calculate, report and reduce your emissions with Plan A’s carbon accounting software. Book a demo today.
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