International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
Global
What is it?
The ISO is a global network that brings together experts from all over the world to develop International Standards.
ISO standards are internationally agreed upon by experts and cover a huge range of activities including making a product or supplying materials.
These include:
- Quality management standards that help work more efficiently and reduce product failures;
- Environmental management standards that help reduce environmental impacts, reduce waste, and be more sustainable;
- Health and safety standards that help reduce accidents in the workplace;
- Energy management standards that help cut energy consumption;
- Food safety standards that help prevent food from being contaminated; and,
- IT security standards that help keep sensitive information secure.
Although they develop and publish the ISO standards, they do not perform certification. For more information about the certification process and how to find a certification body, please visit the “certification” section on their website.
- ISO 14004 which guides the establishment, implementation, maintenance, and improvement of an environmental management system and its coordination with other management systems; and,
- ISO 14064 – Greenhouse gas:
- ISO 14064-1:2018. This specifies principles and requirements at the organizational level for the quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removal. In summary, it covers the design, development, management, reporting, and verification of an organization’s GHG inventory.
- ISO 14064-2:2019. Specification with guidance at the project level for quantification, monitoring, and reporting of greenhouse gas emission reductions or removal enhancements. In summary, it outlines the principles and requirements, and provides guidance at the project level for the quantification, monitoring, and reporting of activities intended to cause GHG emission reductions or removal enhancements; and,
- ISO 14064-3:2019. Specification with guidance for the verification and validation of greenhouse gas statements. This specifies principles and requirements and guides those conducting or managing the validation and/or verification of GHG assertions. It can be applied to organizational or GHG project quantification, monitoring, and reporting.
What is it?
ISO 14001 is an internationally agreed and recognized standard for Environmental Management Systems (EMS). An EMS helps organizations identify, manage, monitor, and control their environmental issues in a “holistic” manner. These support an organization in identifying, managing, monitoring, and controlling environmental processes.
In summary, ISO 14001 requires organizations to proactively manage their environmental impact and demonstrate a commitment to pollution prevention, legal compliance, and continual improvement.
The standard is suitable for all types and sizes of organizations – including private, non-profit, and governmental – and requires organizations to assess environmental issues relevant to their operations, such as waste management, resource use, and efficiency. Updated in 2015, you can learn more here.
What are they?
Other standards in the family that might help The ISO 14000 family that complement ISO 14001, include:
What are they?
The ISO has also produced Net Zero Guidelines – a tool for policymakers and everyone who works towards net zero greenhouse gas emissions for their business, group, or country. The guidelines were produced to counter the confusion resulting from competing approaches and concepts of net zero by providing a global basis for harmonizing, understanding, and planning for net zero.