Difference between the two Carbon footprint calculation standards - ISO 14064 and ISO 14067

The significance of emission calculation:

To mitigate, we must measure it first. It is logical to say that “You can’t be sure of reducing emission until and unless you measure emission.” This makes essential for us to calculate carbon emissions.

For companies, carbon emissions can be measured at different levels, it can be at organizational level, project level, or product level. There are two prominent international standards, namely ISO 14064 and ISO 14067 which provides the required methodologies for emission calculation. Companies needs to decide which one they want to use to calculate their emissions based on which level emissions they want to calculate and report.

Standards for Emission Calculation:

Let’s discuss more on the above-mentioned standards. At a first glance, they may look similar yet the two have their own identity and purpose. The company must decide which standard will be appropriate and have significance to them. For identification of appropriate standards first let us understand why and how they are different and what information your stakeholder and organization is looking for.

Both the standards are intended for companies and organizations of all sizes, across all economic sectors. Those companies seeking an understanding of GHG inventory /carbon foot printing can benefit from this standard.

Difference between the ISO 14064 and ISO 14067:

ISO 14064 Standard provides a framework to validate and verify GHG emissions at every step, from quantification, and reporting to reduction at the organizational level. Application of this standard would provide organizations with good sustainability credentials through its commitments to a less hurting impact on the environment. For detailed knowledge, you may visit our company blog site.

This standard has three parts-

• ISO 14064-1: it shows the requirements for estimation and reporting of GHG emissions at the organizational level.
• ISO 14064-2: it shows the requirements for estimation and reporting of GHG emissions at the project level.
• ISO 14064-3: it provides guidelines on the validation and verification of GHG statements and claims made by the organisation, i.e. mainly it provides assurance guidelines.

By implementing this standard at the organizational level, companies can enhance their sustainability credentials and establish a commitment to reducing their environmental impact. This standard is particularly beneficial for GHG/ environmental reporting, compliance with regulations, and carbon trading.

On the other hand, ISO 14067 specifies principles, requirements, and guidelines for quantifying and reporting a product's impact on climate change.

There are different approaches to analysing your product's carbon footprint:

• It can be through a cradle to gate approach – which covers partial life cycle of product or an intermediate product where the boundary of emission calculation extends from material acquisition through to  the product leaving the reporting company’s gate (e.g., immediately following the product’s production),
• the gate-to-gate approach - considers the emissions and removals attributable to a studied product while it is under the ownership or control of the reporting company,
• the commonly used cradle to grave approach - where the boundary covers the emissions of a studied product from material acquisition through the production, to the consumer or user and upto the to end-of-life treatment after the use.

Let’s consider a packaged water bottle company aiming to determine which ISO standard- ISO 14064 and ISO 14067 aligns with their sustainability efforts,

Selecting the appropriate standard depends on the company's unique objectives and stakeholder expectations. For instance, If a company want to disclose their overall emission at organizational/company level then they should opt for ISO 14064. The company can measure and monitor and disclose the total emissions generated across its operations, including emissions from facilities, energy use and companywide activities,

If the manufacturing company wants to know how much emission is happening from their single product or exactly pinpoint the process where the most emissions are occurring, they may opt  for ISO 14067. With the help of this standard companies would be able to make targeted investments in areas like more sustainable materials, energy-efficient manufacturing, or greener transportation. This would also help in meeting sustainability goals and would also aligns the company’s practices with consumer expectations for eco-friendly products.

So, conclusion is companies should make efforts towards the environment by opting out of these standards both have different approaches or methodologies, yet their agenda are same to minimize the carbon emission into the atmosphere and make the planet sustainable for all.