Everything You Need to Know About ISO 14 067
Did you know? The supply chain generates, on average, 11.4 times more emissions than the company’s direct operations. From raw material extraction to transportation, manufacturing, and distribution, every stage of a product’s life cycle leaves a mark on our planet.
Environmental transparency is no longer an option but a necessity. As a result, organizations are increasingly being called upon to measure and reduce their environmental impact. But how can we ensure that a product’s carbon footprint is assessed in a reliable and comparable manner?
That is precisely the purpose of the ISO 14067 standard. This international standard provides a rigorous methodology for measuring CO₂e emissions associated with goods and services, and is fully aligned with an approach to responsible innovation aimed at transforming production and consumption patterns.
1. Understanding the ISO 14067 Standard
1.1 What does this standard cover?
1.2 The Methodological Framework
1.3 The standard’s requirements and guidelines
2. Why is it important for organizations to adopt the ISO 14067 standard?
2.1 A Strategic Lever for Competitiveness
2.2 Regulatory Compliance and Anticipating Environmental Legislation
2.3 Resource Optimization and Cost Reduction
3. How can an organization implement the ISO 14067 standard?
3.1 Key Steps for Obtaining ISO 14067 Certification
3.2 Challenges and Obstacles to Overcome
3.3 The Long-Term Benefits of Adopting the Standard
4. Decarbo’Solution®: an expert partner that complies with ISO 14067 and ISO 14064 standards
4.1 Full compliance with ISO standards
Understanding ISO 14067 and Its Essential Role
🤔What does this standard entail?
L’ISO 14067:2018 est un référentiel international qui définit les principes et exigences pour le calcul de l’impact carbone des produits. Son objectif principal est d’établir une méthodologie claire, scientifique et uniforme permettant aux structures d’évaluer les émissions de gaz à effet de serre (GES) générées par un produit tout au long de son cycle de vie. Elle est complémentaire de la norme ISO 14001, qui porte quant à elle sur le management environnemental de l’organisation dans son ensemble.
Adopted in 2018 by the International Organization for Standardization, this standard builds on other environmental standards:
- ISO 14040 and 14044, which provide a framework for life cycle assessment (LCA),
- ISO 14064 regarding the preparation of a GHG inventory for a company.
❇️ The Methodological Framework
A product's climate impact is determined using a rigorous scientific approach. The methodology is primarily based on LCA.
The single-criterion LCA based on the climate change indicator—also known as the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF)—is a method that accounts for all greenhouse gas emissions generated at every stage of a product’s life cycle, from design to disposal:
1️⃣ Raw material extraction: impact of the resources used (e.g., mining, logging, etc.).
2️⃣ Manufacturing: energy consumption and emissions associated with industrial processes.
3️⃣ Transportation and distribution: emissions related to logistics and the shipment of goods.
4️⃣ Product use: energy consumed by the product throughout its life cycle.
5️⃣ End of life: recycling, energy recovery, or landfilling.
This approach provides a comprehensive and accurate picture of a product’s environmental impact. It helps prevent accounting errors while enabling better comparability among different solutions.
💢The standard's requirements and guidelines
To ensure an accurate and consistent assessment of a product’s carbon footprint, ISO 14067 is based on several fundamental requirements:
🔹 Data transparency and traceability
- All metrics used to calculate the carbon footprint must be clearly documented.
- Emissions sources must be accurately identified.
🔹 Rigorous scientific methodology
- Use internationally recognized emission factors (e.g., IPCC, ADEME).
- Incorporation of direct and indirect emissions throughout the product's life cycle.
🔹 Comparability and Verifiability
- It must be possible to compare results across different properties or organizations.
- Third-party verification may be necessary to ensure the reliability of the metrics.
🔹 Accounting for uncertainties
- Identification of measurement limits and uncertainties associated with the calculations.
- Develop scenarios to test the robustness of the results.
Why Is It Important for Organizations to Adopt the ISO 14067 Standard?
💯A Strategic Lever for Competitiveness
💚Meeting the expectations of consumers and investors
According to the 15th GreenFlex survey, conducted in collaboration with ADEME and focusing on responsible consumption:“76% of French people say they are taking action to promote responsible consumption.”
➡ Having a certified carbon footprint allows companies to stand out by demonstrating complete transparency regarding the environmental impact of their goods and services.
➡ This also boosts investor confidence, as investors are increasingly incorporating ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) criteria into their financing decisions.
🌐 An asset in international markets
Because the ISO 14067 standard is recognized worldwide, it facilitates access to international markets, particularly in sectors with strict environmental regulations.
For example, the European Union is imposing an increasing number of regulations on imported goods, particularly through the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
⚖️Regulatory Compliance and Anticipating Environmental Legislation
📈A Response to New Climate Regulations
Governments and international organizations are tightening regulations to combat climate change. Among the most influential regulations are:
- The CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) in Europe, which requires organizations to report their carbon footprint.
- La loi AGEC en France, qui impose un affichage environnemental sur certains produits.
- The carbon-neutrality commitments made by many countries by 2050, which will impact companies across all industries.
❗ Avoid greenwashing and ensure credible communication
Greenwashing has become a major concern for consumers and authorities. Many companies have been called out for making misleading claims about their impact on the climate.
➡ With the ISO 14067 standard, organizations can rely on a recognized and verifiable methodology to avoid any risk of being accused of making false environmental claims.
➡ They can also use their results to communicate responsibly and establish a transparent dialogue with their customers and partners.
✅Optimizing resources and reducing costs
🎦Identify and reduce the most polluting operations
By conducting an accurate assessment of a product’s carbon footprint, it is possible to identify the stages of its life cycle that generate the most CO₂e:
🔹 Optimize manufacturing processes by reducing energy consumption.
🔹 Choose suppliers who are more committed to the environmental transition by prioritizing raw materials with a lower carbon footprint.
🔹 Easier access to public procurement contracts, which are increasingly favoring companies that adopt low-carbon practices.
💰Access funding and grants
Organizations committed to a CSR initiative can benefit from a variety of financial incentives:
✔ Government grants for adopting environmentally responsible practices.
✔ Preferential interest rates for companies committed to sustainability initiatives.
✔ Easier access to public procurement opportunities, which are increasingly favoring environmentally responsible companies.
How can an organization implement the ISO 14067 standard?
For an organization to effectively assess, reduce, and communicate, it must implement a rigorous and structured process.
How to ensure the long-term viability and growth of your business through a successful low-carbon strategy.
💡Key Steps to Obtaining ISO 14067 Certification
✅ Define the scope of the evaluation
It is essential to precisely define the scope of the product or service under review. This involves answering the following questions:
🔹 Which products are involved? (An entire line or a specific product?)
🔹 What assessment methodology will be used? (emission factors, database, etc.)
🔹 What are the measurement criteria? (direct emissions, indirect emissions, any exclusions)
✅ 1.2. Collecting Data
The most technical step involves collecting precise metrics on each phase of the product lifecycle; this is known as conducting a lifecycle inventory:
- Energy and Raw Material Consumption
- Greenhouse gas emissions during production
- Modes of Transportation and Logistical Impact
- Product Use and Associated Emissions
- End-of-life treatment (recycling, incineration, landfilling, etc.)
💡 Use recognized standards (e.g., ADEME’s Carbon Database, Ecoinvent, GHG Protocol) to ensure the reliability of metrics.
✅ 1.3. Calculate the carbon footprint
Once collected, they must be converted to CO₂ equivalents using emission factors that comply with international standards (GIEC, ADEME, IPCC).
➡ There is specialized software available to automate this calculation, such as the SaaS platform offered by Decarbo’Solution®, which helps organizations conduct their greenhouse gas inventories.
There are other solutions available: SimaPro, OpenLCA, or CarbonScope.
✅ 1.4. Third-Party Verification
To ensure the credibility of the results, an organization may engage an independent third-party organization to:
✔ Review the methodology and calculations used.
✔ Ensure compliance with the ISO 14067 standard.
✔ Issue an official certification that allows for the display of a label attesting to the initiative.
💡 Examples of certification bodies: LRQA, SGS, AFNOR…
📢Challenges and Obstacles to Overcome
- The Complexity of Metrics and Tools
One of the main challenges of ISO 14067 is the collection and analysis of environmental data. It can be difficult to obtain accurate information, particularly from suppliers.
💡 Solution: Work closely with the supply chain and prioritize automated tools for collecting metrics.
- The cost of implementation
LCA and certification can represent a significant financial investment for organizations, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises.
💡 Solution: Look into grants and public funding available for environmental initiatives (e.g., ADEME in France, European funds for the ecological transition, the Public Investment Bank).
- Internal Buy-In and Organizational Change
Such an approach requires strong involvement from the various teams (R&D, production, logistics, marketing). If internal commitment is low, implementation of the standard may be compromised.
💡 Solution: Train employees and raise awareness among stakeholders about environmental issues.
🚀The Long-Term Benefits of Adopting the Standard
Adopting this standard is not just a matter of compliance; it is an investment in the future. When combined with eco-design principles, this approach is part of a Net Zero strategywhile meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Here are the long-term benefits of taking this approach.
📈 Strengthen the company's competitiveness and resilience
- Companies committed to the green transition are attracting more investors.
- They anticipate regulatory changes and avoid penalties related to carbon taxes.
- They enhance their brand image and build loyalty among environmentally conscious customers.
🔄 Facilitating innovation and eco-design
ISO 14067 encourages organizations to rethink their product designs by incorporating more sustainable materials and more energy-efficient processes.
🌿Patagonia
Patagonia sets the standard for CSR communication. It prioritizes complete transparency in its supply chain, encourages the repair of clothing, and donates a portion of its profits to environmental causes.
The “Don’t Buy This Jacket” campaign, which encourages consumers to curb overconsumption and prioritize sustainable purchases.
👄Taiki Cosmetics Europe
Taiki Cosmetic has been committed to a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative for several years in order to reduce its environmental footprint. Its strategy involves concrete actions such as the eco-design of its products, the selection of its partners, and the reduction of business travel.
As part of this long-term vision for CSR, Taiki Cosmetics Europe turned to Decarbo’Solution® to conduct its first GHG inventory.
🌍 Decarbo’Solution®: an expert partner that complies with ISO 14067 and ISO 14064 standards
Against the backdrop of an accelerating climate transition and increasing regulatory requirements, organizations need reliable, rigorous support that complies with international standards.
With this in mind, Decarbo’Solution® (Decarbo’Solution®) has established itself as a leading player in carbon footprint management by offering practical solutions to measure, reduce, and manage greenhouse gas emissions.
✅ Full compliance with ISO standards
Decarbo’Solution® ensures strict compliance with international standards:
- ISO 14067, for calculating the carbon footprint of products using a comprehensive and scientifically validated life-cycle approach.
- ISO 14064, for preparing organizational GHG inventories that comply with the requirements of current legislation (CSRD, green taxonomy, etc.).
This dual compliance ensures that organizations achieve maximum traceability, comparability, and credibility in the management and communication of their climate strategy.
🛠️ A proven and accessible digital platform
The SaaS platform developed by Decarbo’Solution® enables organizations to:
- Conduct a comprehensive GHG inventory (Scopes 1, 2, and 3) in accordance with the ISO 14064 standard.
- Accurately assessthe carbon footprint of their products using the ISO 14067 methodology.
- Identify concrete ways to reduce [the issue] and implement customized action plans.
- Benefit from structured and verifiable reporting tailored to stakeholder expectations and regulatory requirements.
🤝 Expertise recognized by socially responsible companies
Many organizations have already turned to Decarbo’Solution® to develop and accelerate their climate strategy. This is particularly true of Taiki Cosmetics Europe, which relied on Decarbo’Solution®’s support to conduct its first GHG inventory as part of its overall CSR initiative.
Drawing on its expertise and tools that meet the most stringent standards, Decarbo’Solution® supports organizations at every stage of their carbon transition, enabling them to turn their commitments into concrete, verifiable results.
Implementing the ISO 14067 standard requires a strong commitment and a rigorous methodology, but the long-term benefits are considerable.
✔ Better control over the carbon footprint of products
✔ A competitive advantage and the ability to anticipate regulations
✔ Reduced costs and optimized resources
Today, adopting ISO 14067 means preparing your company for the environmental challenges of tomorrow. The question is no longer whether to commit, but how to accelerate this transition.
Our carbon experts are available to provide a free of our platform with no obligation. 🚀
First, the use of GCI has led to a significant reduction in the uncertainty of the GHG inventory—particularly for Scope 3—from 50% to 5%. The group therefore has data that is 95% accurate.
Using supplier data collected and analyzed by the GCI tool, in-depth analyses were conducted internally on the impact of 35,000 products, grouping suppliers into 170 categories. This represents more than 80% of purchases by volume and value.