Greenhouse gas accounting and verification for manufacturing and engineering companies is becoming more of a necessity.
And this is where a quality standard like ISO 14064 will help.
What ISO 14064 Is
ISO 14064 is a family of international standards that provide guidance for quantifying, reporting, and verifying greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Unlike ISO 14001, which focuses broadly on environmental management, ISO 14064 focuses specifically on carbon accounting and ensuring that emissions data is robust, verifiable, and credible.
The standard is divided into three parts:
1. ISO 14064-1: Organisational level GHG inventory – measuring and reporting emissions from an entire organisation
2. ISO 14064-2: Project level GHG reductions – quantifying reductions from specific activities or initiatives
3. ISO 14064-3: Validation and verification – auditing GHG assertions to ensure accuracy
For manufacturers, ISO 14064 provides the auditable framework required to demonstrate real reductions in emissions to customers, investors, regulators, and supply chain partners.
Why ISO 14064 Matters to Manufacturers
Manufacturers are under increasing pressure to measure and reduce carbon emissions, not just energy use.
ISO 14064 matters because:
1. Customers and large buyers demand verified emissions data for tenders and contracts
2. Investors and lenders use greenhouse gas GHG data to assess climate risk exposure
3. Suppliers must demonstrate alignment with science-based targets or net zero commitments
4. Regulators and voluntary schemes (such as SECR, Carbon Trust Route to Net Zero) increasingly require robust reporting
By adopting ISO 14064, manufacturers gain:
1. Credibility in claims of carbon reduction
2. A systematic process for continuous improvement
3. Alignment with global carbon accounting frameworks
Without such a standard, emissions data risks being inconsistent, incomplete, or non-verifiable.
Available Resources:
If you’d like to learn more about ISO 14064 and other operational improvement / cost reduction related standards and accreditations, please request a complimentary copy of our recently published factories guide book – Planet meets Profit.
