Life Cycle Assessment
ISO 14040, 14044 and 14067 Compared
The difference between LCA and carbon footprint standards — the ISO 14040/14044 framework, ISO 14067 for product carbon footprints and ISO 14064-3 for verification.
The alphabet of environmental standards can be confusing. In practice three numbers do the work: ISO 14040 and 14044 (the LCA framework), ISO 14067 (product carbon footprint) and ISO 14064-3 for verification.
Scope of each
| Standard | Scope | What it provides |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 14040:2006 | LCA — principles and framework | Terms, phases, principles |
| ISO 14044:2006 | LCA — requirements and guidelines | The rules for doing it |
| ISO 14067:2018 | Product carbon footprint | PCF rules for climate impact only |
| ISO 14064-3 | Verification of GHG statements | The assurance procedure |
Which one, when?
- A full environmental profile (water, acidification, eutrophication): ISO 14040/14044.
- Carbon only (battery passport, CBAM adjacency, customer questionnaires): ISO 14067.
- A comparable declaration: an EPD programme and its PCR. See what an EPD is.
- EU policy alignment and comparability: PEF. See PEF.
Why PCRs matter
ISO standards answer "how to calculate". For two products to be comparable they must be calculated under the same Product Category Rules: same functional unit, same system boundary, same allocation. Without a PCR, two valid LCAs cannot be compared.
Assurance levels
| Level | Meaning | Sufficient for |
|---|---|---|
| Self-declared | Your own calculation with stated method | Internal use, first customer requests |
| Critical review | Independent expert review | Public claims |
| Accredited verification | ISO 14064-3 or programme rules | Regulatory declarations, tenders, EPDs |
See the carbon guide and the Green Claims Directive.
What this means for a DPP
If you publish a carbon number in a passport, publish the method reference with it: which standard, which boundary, which assurance level. The number alone cannot be defended in an audit. See DPP data fields.
Frequently asked questions
How does ISO 14067 differ from the GHG Protocol?
The GHG Protocol Product Standard offers a similar methodology and aligns more easily with corporate Scope 3 reporting. Differences sit in allocation and reporting detail.
Am I getting certified?
There is no "certification" against ISO 14040/14044 — what happens is verification that a study conforms. EPD programmes do have a formal verification and publication process.
Do I need a separate study per product?
Product-family modelling is common: model a representative product and derive variants parametrically. That approach must itself be declared in the report.
