Overview
ISO 14024:2018 - "Environmental labels and declarations - Type I environmental labelling - Principles and procedures" defines the principles and procedures for establishing and operating Type I environmental labelling (ecolabel) programmes. It covers how to select product categories, define product environmental criteria and product function characteristics, and how to assess, verify and certify products to award a Type I label. The standard emphasizes life cycle consideration, third‑party certification, transparency, data quality and avoidance of conflicts of interest.
Key topics and requirements
- Scope and objective: Establishes voluntary, multiple‑criteria, third‑party programmes that identify products that are environmentally preferable within a product category.
- Product category selection: Procedures for conducting feasibility studies and proposing categories based on function equivalence.
- Product environmental criteria: Development and selection of criteria grounded in life‑cycle considerations and scientific basis; includes validity and review periods.
- Product function characteristics: Defining performance attributes to ensure comparability across products within a category.
- Certification and licensing: Rules for licensing the label, assessing conformity, issuing licences and protecting the label.
- Verification and compliance: Requirements for documentation, verification, supervision and compliance monitoring; introduction of verifier competence and verification procedures.
- Governance principles: Transparency, accessibility, stakeholder consultation, data quality, confidentiality, costs/fees and avoidance of conflicts of interest.
- Mutual recognition: Encourages mechanisms for mutual recognition of labels where appropriate.
- Related procedural elements: Reporting, publication, and implementation of modifications to criteria.
Practical applications
ISO 14024 is used to design, implement and manage ecolabelling programmes that help consumers and buyers identify environmentally preferable products. Typical applications include:
- Developing national, regional or sectoral ecolabelling schemes for consumer goods, industrial products or services.
- Establishing third‑party certification and licensing systems for ecolabel use.
- Creating transparent, science‑based product environmental criteria and life‑cycle oriented assessment protocols.
- Supporting procurement policies that prefer certified, lower‑impact products.
Who uses this standard:
- Ecolabelling bodies and programme managers
- Certification and conformity assessment bodies (verifiers)
- Government agencies and public procurement officers
- Manufacturers and brand owners seeking ecolabel licences
- NGOs, sustainability consultants and standard developers
Related standards
- ISO 14020 (Environmental labels and declarations - General principles) - referenced normative document that complements ISO 14024 by covering overarching labelling principles.
Keywords: ISO 14024, Type I environmental labelling, ecolabel, product environmental criteria, certification, life cycle assessment, verifier competence.
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