Overview
ISO 14066:2023 - Environmental information - Competence requirements for teams validating and verifying environmental information - defines the competence expected of validation and verification teams (including technical experts) and independent reviewers. The standard applies to organizations conducting external or internal validations, verifications and agreed‑upon procedures (AUP). It is program‑agnostic (i.e., not tied to one environmental information programme), but any programme‑specific competence requirements remain applicable in addition to ISO 14066.
Key topics and requirements
ISO 14066 sets out principles and practical competence elements needed to achieve consistent, credible validation and verification of environmental information:
- Core principles: integrity, impartiality, fair presentation, due professional care, professional judgement, evidence‑based approach and professional scepticism.
- Team competence: requirements for knowledge and skills at the team level, including:
- Knowledge of environmental information programmes and relevant subject matter
- Understanding of quantitative and qualitative environmental information
- Additional knowledge for organization‑level, product‑related or project‑related statements
- Auditing and verification skills
- Team leader and technical expert competence: defined expectations for leadership, technical input and specialty expertise.
- Independent reviewer competence: criteria for an impartial reviewer who oversees the engagement outcome.
- Demonstration and maintenance: methods to demonstrate, evaluate and maintain competence - including training, assessment and continuing professional development.
- Supporting guidance: informative and normative annexes cover evidence and professional scepticism, evaluation methods, entry‑level awareness, personal behaviour, and additional requirements for green bond and greenhouse gas (GHG) activities (Annexes E and F).
Practical applications and who should use it
ISO 14066 is designed for organizations and professionals involved in environmental assurance and conformity assessment:
- Validation and verification bodies establishing competence management systems (interface with ISO 14065)
- Verification/validation teams and technical experts providing assurance on greenhouse gas inventories, product footprints, project credits, environmental reports and green debt instruments
- Program administrators and regulators seeking consistent competence criteria for accredited assessments
- Internal audit teams performing in‑house verifications or agreed‑upon procedures (AUP)
Using ISO 14066 helps improve credibility of environmental claims, supports impartial assurance processes, and aligns team capabilities with internationally recognized expectations.
Related standards
Keywords: ISO 14066, environmental information, competence requirements, validation, verification teams, independent reviewer, ISO 14065, professional scepticism, green bond verification, greenhouse gas verification.
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