Carbon Management and Carbon Neutrality 

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Understanding Carbon Management and ISO 14068

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As organisations increasingly commit to carbon neutrality and net zero goals, internationally recognised standards play an important role in ensuring credibility, transparency, and consistency.

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ISO 14068 – Carbon Neutrality is an international standard that sets out requirements for achieving and demonstrating carbon neutrality in a structured and verifiable way. It provides guidance on how organisations can define boundaries, quantify emissions, reduce emissions, and make credible carbon neutrality claims.

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What is ISO 14068?

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ISO 14068 specifies principles and requirements for:

• Defining organisational, product, or service boundaries

• Quantifying greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions

• Developing carbon management approaches

• Prioritising emissions reduction activities

• Using carbon credits transparently and responsibly

• Demonstrating carbon neutrality through documented evidence

The standard is intended to support clear, consistent, and verifiable carbon neutrality claims, helping organisations avoid greenwashing and improve stakeholder confidence.

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Purpose of ISO 14068

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The primary objectives of ISO 14068 include:

• Improving transparency of carbon neutrality claims

• Providing a consistent framework for carbon management

• Supporting credible climate and sustainability reporting

• Aligning carbon neutrality efforts with internationally recognised practices

• Enhancing trust among customers, regulators, and stakeholders

 

ISO 14068 can be applied to organisations, products, services, or activities, depending on

the defined scope.

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Relationship with Other ISO Standards

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ISO 14068 is designed to work alongside other environmental and climate-related ISO standards, including:

• ISO 14001 – Environmental Management Systems

• ISO 14064 – Greenhouse Gas Quantification and Reporting

• ISO 14067 – Carbon Footprint of Products

Together, these standards provide a comprehensive framework for managing environmental impacts and greenhouse gas emissions.

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Who Uses ISO 14068?

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ISO 14068 is relevant to organisations that:

• Make public carbon neutrality or net zero claims

• Participate in sustainability or ESG reporting

• Respond to environmental requirements in tenders or supply chains

• Seek internationally recognised approaches to carbon management

• Operate in sectors with increasing climate-related expectations

 

Industries commonly referencing ISO 14068 include construction, manufacturing, logistics, professional services, education, tourism, and facilities management.

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Carbon Neutrality and Verification

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ISO 14068 places strong emphasis on credible evidence and transparency.
Where organisations choose to seek independent confirmation of carbon neutrality claims, verification is typically conducted by appropriately accredited third-party bodies, in accordance with applicable accreditation rules and standards.

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Why ISO 14068 Matters

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Using ISO 14068 as a reference framework helps organisations:

• Improve the credibility of environmental claims

• Support sustainability strategies with recognised standards

• Reduce reputational and regulatory risks

• Demonstrate alignment with global climate initiatives

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