ISO 14026:2017 - Environmental labels - Principles, requirements, and guidelines

The ISO 14026:2017 standard is an international norm that provides principles, requirements, and guidelines for product footprint communications affecting the environment. This standard was recently reviewed and confirmed in 2023, thus the current version remains valid.

Scope

The primary objective of ISO 14026:2017 is to establish a framework for the communication of the environmental footprint of products. This standard applies in both B2B (business-to-business) and B2C (business-to-consumer) contexts, offering fundamental concepts related to product environmental footprint communication.

Requirements

ISO 14026:2017 establishes the following requirements:

1. Provides principles, requirements, and guidelines for product footprint communications.
2. Provides requirements and guidelines for footprint communication programs.
3. Provides requirements for verification procedures.

However, the ISO 14026:2017 standard does not address the quantification of a footprint, nor does it cover the communication of footprints unrelated to the environment, such as those addressing social or economic issues.

Application of the Standard

ISO 14026:2017 specifically refers to the communication of the environmental footprint in the context of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study – in accordance with ISO 14044 – relative to a specific Product Category Rule (PCR) - ISO/TS 14027. The general information to be provided should be easily accessible (e.g., labels, manuals, catalogs, advertising, websites, etc.) and summarized in the following points:

1. Clear indication of the reference area (e.g., carbon or water).
2. Functional unit.
3. Life cycle stages under study.
4. Reference to access supporting information (e.g., QR code).

It is important to emphasize that communication may be comparative with a reference product (whether internal and/or external to the company) to indicate the environmental performance of the studied product.

Definitions

In relation to ISO 14026:2017:

• LCA stands for "Life Cycle Assessment." It is a standardized method for evaluating and quantifying the environmental impacts associated with all life stages of a product, from production to distribution, use, and disposal. LCA is a key tool for managing the environmental footprint of a product.

• PCR stands for "Product Category Rules." PCRs are a set of rules, requirements, and specific guidelines for developing footprint communications for one or more product categories. These rules are essential to ensure that product environmental footprints are calculated and communicated consistently and transparently.