#210 What is the EU Green Claims Directive
The ISO Show
Greenwashing is a concern for both businesses and consumers. The proliferation of it in recent years has caused genuine green claims to be treated with an air of caution rather than being rightfully celebrated. It’s become clear that there is a need for transparent and substantiated green claims, both to help consumers and stakeholders to make informed decisions and to ensure that real steps towards sustainability are being taken. Is the upcoming EU Green Claims Directive the answer we’ve been looking for? In this episode Mel is joined by Charlie Martin, CEO and Founder of The...
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#209 Introducing The Anti-Greenwash Charter
The ISO Show
We are hitting a crunch point in regard to keeping to the 1.5°C limit as set out in the Paris Agreement. It’s going to take a collective effort to reduce the most catastrophic impacts of climate change, which is exactly why we’re seeing an increase in legislation and regulations that call for tangible evidence of sustainability efforts to combat the rise in greenwashing. If you’re looking for guidance on sustainability transparency, today’s guest has an initiative that can help. In this episode Mel is joined by Charlie Martin, CEO and Founder of The Anti-Greenwash Charter,...
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#208 The Pros and Cons of Sustainability Standards
The ISO Show
ISO Standards have been at the forefront of creating a unified approach to various aspects of sustainability, ensuring businesses have a robust framework to both manage and reduce their environmental impact. However, there are a lot of different sustainability Standards that cover specific areas of sustainability, or only apply to certain sectors. Each come with their own pros and cons, making it tricky to pick the best fit for you. In this episode Steph Churchman introduces four of the leading sustainability focused ISO Standards and explains the benefits and disadvantages of...
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#207 Management Review – The Fallacy Of The Annual Event
The ISO Show
If you’ve ever implemented an ISO Standard, then the term Management Review will be familiar to you. It’s a mandatory part of the implementation process, and a crucial tool for monitoring continual improvement. Somewhere down the line, it’s become a bit of a myth that a Management Review needs to be an annual meeting. That is simply not the case, while required by the Standard, it’s very flexible on how this could be achieved. In this episode Ian discusses the purpose of Management Review, including what you should be including and getting out of the review and breaks down...
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#206 Aligning Objectives with Strategic Direction
The ISO Show
The importance of setting key objectives can’t be understated. They help drive continual improvement and reflect a business’s key metrics for success in various areas. They are also a key aspect of implementing an ISO Standard, with most specifying a dedicated Objectives clause. While most businesses will have objectives irrespective of any ISO certification, many may fall into the familiar trappings of having separate objectives for different departments, which only serves to fragment your measurement of success. In this episode Ian discusses the importance of setting key business...
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#205 Building AI Resilience with Cloud Direct
The ISO Show
AI usage has skyrocketed in the past 2 years, with many commonplace apps and software now featuring an AI integration in some form. With the rapid development and possibilities unlocked with this powerful technology, it can be tempting to go full steam ahead with implementing AI use into your day-to-day business activities. However, new technologies come with new risks that need to be understood and mitigated before any potential incidents. In this episode Mark Philip, Information Security Manager at Cloud Direct, joins Ian to discuss emerging AI risks and how you can build AI...
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#204 Greenwashing – Separating Fact From Fiction with ISO 14064 Verification
The ISO Show
The uptick in greenwashing cases, and subsequent outing of these claims only serves to make stakeholders and consumers dubious of any businesses sustainability pledges. One key way to combat this is to have the information to back up your claims, something that is becoming a mandatory requirement for some depending on sector, location or company size. In this episode, Mel dives into the use of ISO 14064 and how verification to this internationally recognised Standard can help companies build trust and ensure their climate action claims are genuine and impactful. You’ll learn ...
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#203 The 7 Shades of Greenwashing
The ISO Show
The rampant rise of greenwashing threatens to undermine genuine sustainability efforts and mislead consumers, with over 900 businesses in Europe being accused of the practice in 2024. Greenwashing can come in many different forms, and the tactics used aren’t always easy to spot. In this episode, Mel dives into the 7 shades of greenwashing and explains the common greenwashing tactics you should be on the lookout for. You’ll learn · What is Greencrowding? · What is Greenlighting? · What...
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#202 The Rise of Greenwashing
The ISO Show
In a world increasingly concerned about environmental impact, companies are under immense pressure to demonstrate their sustainability credentials. But how can businesses truly differentiate themselves from those simply paying lip service to green practices? Greenwashing is a term that you will likely be familiar with, as it’s one that’s been on the rise as consumer preference steers towards those who are seen to be doing the right thing. Alarmingly, high-severity cases, which involve companies that took a purposeful and systematic approach to concealing ESG violations, rise by more than...
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#201 It Shouldn’t Happen To An Auditor
The ISO Show
The end of another year has rolled around in the blink of an eye! We’ve managed to publish a whopping 42 episodes this year, pushing us over the 200 episode mark. We want to thank all our listeners, both old and new, for allowing us to continue to share both ISO tips and success stories from our wonderful clients. We hope you’ll follow along as we continue our podcasting journey in 2025. To close out the year, Ian Battersby and Steve Mason share some of their stories of misadventures during audits, from common mistakes, to broom battles and forklift mishaps, they really have seen...
info_outlineGreenhouse Gas (GHG) accounting has become increasingly important in recent years due to the demand for more environmental accountability.
Whether by choice or due to legislation or mandatory Government led schemes, organisations need to able to effectively calculate their current impact before they can the right steps to reduce and offset the remaining emissions.
There are a lot of different routes to take, and some may look so similar that you have to squint to see a difference.
In this episode, Mel Blackmore breaks down the similarities and differences between the leading GHG emission reporting frameworks, ISO 14064-1 and the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard.
You’ll learn
· What are the 2 leading GHG accounting frameworks?
· What are the similarities between the GHG Protocol and ISO 14064?
· What are the differences between the GHG Protocol and ISO 14064?
· Reporting on indirect emissions
· Choosing the right framework
· How can the GHG Protocol and ISO 14064 complement each other?
Resources
In this episode, we talk about:
[00:30] Join the isologyhub – To get access to a suite of ISO related tools, training and templates. Simply head on over to isologyhub.com to either sign-up or book a demo.
[02:30] Episode summary: Mel will look at the similarities and differences between the 2 leading GHG emissions reporting frameworks, the GHG Protocol and ISO 14064-1:2018.
[02:20] What are the 2 leading GHG accounting frameworks? – Greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting has become increasingly important for organisations seeking to manage their environmental impact and contribute to climate change mitigation efforts. Two prominent frameworks guide this process: ISO 14064-1:2018 and the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard.
Climate change concerns necessitate robust methodologies for quantifying and reporting organisational GHG emissions. Standardised frameworks offer a transparent and reliable approach for organisations to measure their impact and contribute to environmental sustainability goals. This article examines two leading frameworks: ISO 14064-1:2018 and the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard.
[06:10] What are the similarities between the GHG Protocol and ISO 14064? – GHG Scope Definition: Both frameworks categorise emissions into three scopes: Scope 1 (direct emissions from owned or controlled sources), Scope 2 (indirect emissions from purchased electricity, heat, or steam), and Scope 3 (other indirect emissions throughout the value chain).
In general, the GHG Emissions covered in the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard conform to ISO 14064-1 if significant Sope 3 GHG emissions and GHG removals are both considered.
Quantification Principles: Both emphasize the importance of accuracy, completeness, consistency, transparency, and relevance when quantifying emissions.
GHG Reporting Boundaries: Both require clear definition of the organisational boundaries for which emissions are quantified.
GHG Inventory: Both frameworks guide the development of a GHG inventory, a comprehensive record of all organisational emissions.
[09:15] What are the differences between the GHG Protocol and ISO 14064? – Focus: ISO 14064-1 is a more procedural framework, outlining the steps for quantifying, reporting, and verifying GHG emissions. The GHG Protocol, on the other hand, offers detailed guidance on calculating emissions for various activities and sectors but lacks formal verification requirements.
Level of Detail: The GHG Protocol provides a more comprehensive and detailed approach, including calculation methods, guidance on emission factors, and best practices. ISO 14064-1 offers a less prescriptive approach, allowing organisations to choose calculation methodologies based on their specific needs.
Avoided GHG Emissions: The concept of avoided GHG emissions is not addressed in ISO 14064-1. However, the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard addresses the quantification of avoided emissions, which are required to be reported separately.
Verification: Verification by a third-party verifier is optional under the GHG Protocol but mandatory for organisations seeking public disclosure or certification under ISO 14064-1. Verification enhances the credibility and reliability of reported emissions data, this could be to schemes like EcoVadis.
Value Chain Emissions: While both frameworks acknowledge Scope 3 emissions, the GHG Protocol offers a dedicated standard - the Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Standard - providing specific guidance on quantifying these emissions.
Addressing GHG Emissions and Removals: ISO 14064-1 clearly address GHG emissions and removals for each category and removals are therefore an inherent part of the GHG quantification. The guidance in the GHG protocol is not as clear but allows for the reporting of removals separately from GHG Emissions.
[13:30] Join the isologyhub and get access to limitless ISO resources – From as little as £99 a month, you can have unlimited access to hundreds of online training courses and achieve certification for completion of courses along the way, which will take you from learner to practitioner to leader in no time. Simply head on over to the isologyhub to sign-up or book a demo.
[17:05] Reporting on indirect emissions: The main challenge for organisations is the reporting of indirect emissions (Scope 3), often leading to confusion based on a lack of clarity and understanding of how granular the data needs to be, combined with challenges extracting data from third-parties.
ISO 14064-1 is very clear regarding which Scope 3 emissions are to be included, whereas the GHG Protocol standard maybe viewed as more open to interpretation.
In contrast, GHG Protocol standards require the inclusion of Scope 2 (indirect emissions from purchased energy); the inclusion of other indirect GHG Emissions under scope 3 is optional.
The GHG Protocol standard is referred to in various GHG reporting and disclosure initiatives whose requirements for the reporting of the Scope 3 emissions vary. Whereas ISO 14064-1 has been created and approved by representatives from 61 nations to determine a specification for Scope 3 emissions reporting.
[20:30] Choosing the right Framework: The choice between ISO 14064-1 and the GHG Protocol depends on an organisation's specific needs and goals. Here are some considerations:
· Is there a need for Verification? i.e. is it a mandatory requirement
· What level of detail is required? If a detailed approach with extensive calculation guidance is preferred, the GHG Protocol might be more suitable.
· Resource availability – Do you have the resource to do this yourself or will you need a helping hand?
· Disclosure reporting requirements – check what you need to comply with as this could determine which framework you use.
[23:30] How can the GHG Protocol and ISO 14064 complement each other? - This podcast may have you thinking that it has to be one or the other, but in actuality the two frameworks can be used together effectively. Organisations can utilise the GHG Protocol's detailed guidance to develop their GHG inventory and then follow ISO 14064-1's process for verification and reporting.
If you would like some help with GHG reporting or Verification, please get in touch with Carbonology.
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