In today’s environmentally conscious marketplace, consumers are increasingly seeking information about a product’s environmental impact throughout its lifecycle. The ISO 14025 standard provides a framework for businesses to effectively communicate this critical information. This article explores ISO 14025, its role in Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), and the benefits it offers businesses.
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What is ISO 14025?
ISO 14025 is an international standard that outlines the principles and procedures for developing Type III environmental declarations, also known as Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). EPDs are comprehensive reports that detail a product’s environmental impact across its entire life cycle, from raw material extraction to production, use, and disposal.
What is the difference between ISO 14025 and ISO 14067?
While both ISO 14025 and ISO 14067 deal with environmental impact, they serve distinct purposes. ISO 14067 focuses on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, which is the scientific foundation for creating an EPD. ISO 14067 only measures and reports a product’s environmental impact to climate change, specifically through the amount of greenhouse gas emissions it produced across its life cycle stages.
ISO 14025, on the other hand, specifies how LCA findings are presented in a transparent and verifiable EPD, ensuring clear communication to stakeholders. The LCA which is conducted based on ISO 14040 standard, measures and reports a product’s overall environmental impact, with reference to its Product Category Rules (PCR).
In short, ISO 14067 guides companies to conduct LCA on its product to understand its impact to climate change whereas ISO 14025 guides companies to communicate the findings of its product LCA.
Why Are Companies Encouraged to Use ISO 14025 in communicating the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)?
ISO 14025 offers a standardised format for EPDs, ensuring consistency and credibility. This allows for easy comparison between products from different companies. By following ISO 14025 guidelines, businesses can:
- Enhance Transparency: EPDs provide a clear and detailed picture of a product’s environmental footprint, fostering trust with environmentally conscious consumers.
- Gain a Competitive Advantage: In a growing market for sustainable products, a well-developed EPD can differentiate your offerings and influence purchasing decisions.
- Fulfill Green Procurement Requirements: Many government institutions and businesses are adopting green procurement policies, and an EPD can demonstrate compliance with these requirements.
What’s Next?
Implementing ISO 14025 can be a valuable step for businesses committed to environmental responsibility and transparency, especially with the recent development of the EU Green Claim Directives which require companies to provide verifiable evidence to support their “biodegradable,” “water-saving,” and other eco-friendly marketing terms.
By effectively communicating a product’s environmental impact through a standardised EPD, businesses can build trust with stakeholders, gain a competitive edge, and contribute to a more sustainable future. More importantly, it serves as baseline data for companies to reduce a product’s environmental impact and improve processes in the future.
Curious to understand your product’s environmental impact and communicate your environmental sustainability commitment to stakeholders in a systematic manner? Get started with ISO 14025 and our sustainability practitioners will guide you step-by-step to be a green product manufacturer inside out. Talk to us now.
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