ISO 14064: what it is, its parts and what it is used for

The ISO 14064 standard is a family of international standards that provides a framework for the quantification, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals. It lets organisations measure their impact using a recognised method and, above all, do so in a way that is verifiable by third parties, which gives their data credibility before regulators, clients and investors.

Knowing and controlling your carbon footprint is the first step to managing it: without a rigorous emissions inventory it is impossible to identify where to cut emissions or to demonstrate progress. ISO 14064 provides that methodological rigour.

What are the parts of ISO 14064?

ISO 14064 is structured in three parts, each with a specific focus. In Spain they are published as UNE-EN ISO 14064 standards.

1. ISO 14064-1: organisation-level GHG inventory

ISO 14064-1:2018 focuses on quantifying and reporting an organisation's GHG emissions and removals. It covers identifying emission sources, selecting calculation methodologies and managing data quality in order to build the inventory.

An important change in the 2018 version is that it classifies emissions into six categories (direct emissions; indirect emissions from imported energy; emissions from transport; emissions from products used by the organisation; emissions associated with the use of the organisation's products; and other indirect emissions). These categories are consistent with the GHG Protocol's scopes 1, 2 and 3, but they offer a more detailed breakdown designed for verification.

2. ISO 14064-2: emission reduction projects

ISO 14064-2 focuses on projects designed to reduce emissions or enhance GHG removals. It provides a methodology for quantifying, monitoring and reporting the changes in emissions or removals that result from a specific project (for example, an energy efficiency improvement or a carbon capture project).

3. ISO 14064-3: verification and validation of GHG statements

ISO 14064-3 sets out the principles and requirements for the verification and validation of GHG statements. It defines the roles and responsibilities of verifiers and the guidelines for conducting GHG audits. This is the part that allows an inventory prepared under 14064-1 to be reviewed and validated by an independent body.

What does the ISO 14064 verification process look like?

Verification under ISO 14064 is a rigorous process that ensures the credibility and transparency of GHG statements. It is carried out by an accredited body (in Spain, accredited by the Spanish National Accreditation Body, ENAC) and usually runs in several stages:

1. Understanding the organisation and its objectives: understanding the activities, processes and boundaries of the organisation in relation to GHG management.
2. Assessment and planning: an initial assessment to define the scope, criteria, level of assurance and verification methodology.
3. Verification: the verification team reviews the documentation, checks the data and traceability, carries out site visits where appropriate, and issues a report with its conclusions.
4. Follow-up and future verifications: the organisation maintains and improves its GHG management processes and repeats the verification in subsequent cycles.

What are the advantages of ISO 14064?

Applying ISO 14064 and integrating it into operations brings benefits that go beyond environmental commitment:

• Credible, verifiable data: an inventory verified to ISO 14064 builds confidence in audits and with clients and investors, and supports the communication of results.
• Compliance and access to the MITECO registry: verification under ISO 14064-1 meets the requirements of Spain's MITECO carbon-footprint registry for access to the verified seal.
• Competitive advantage: it eases participation in public tenders and relationships with large clients that require evidence of sustainability.
• A basis for reducing: measuring rigorously is the starting point for defining realistic, measurable emission reduction plans.
• Integration with other systems: it fits with ISO 14001 environmental management and with reporting frameworks such as the CSRD.

ISO 14064 versus the GHG Protocol

ISO 14064 and the GHG Protocol are compatible and are often used together: the GHG Protocol provides the most widely used international calculation methodology, and ISO 14064 adds the verification framework. If you are unsure which to choose, we analyse it in detail in our comparison GHG Protocol vs ISO 14064-1.

Frequently asked questions about ISO 14064

Is ISO 14064 a certification?

Strictly speaking, ISO 14064 is not "certified" like a management system: what happens is that a GHG statement is verified or validated against the standard by an accredited body. The result is a verification report, not a system certificate like the one for ISO 14001.

Which version of ISO 14064-1 is in force?

The version in force is ISO 14064-1:2018, which replaced the 2006 version and introduced the classification into six emission categories.

How does it relate to Spain's MITECO carbon-footprint registry?

To obtain the verified MITECO seal, the inventory must be verified by an accredited body, and ISO 14064 is one of the accepted frameworks for this.

If you want to calculate and verify your emissions inventory under this standard, explore Manglai's ISO 14064 solution.