ISO 14024 Environmental Labels and Declarations - Type I Environmental Labelling - Principles and Procedures

The standard "ISO 14024 Environmental labels and declarations - Type I environmental labeling - Principles and procedures," published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), describes the principles and procedures for developing Type I environmental labeling programs, including selection of product categories, product environmental criteria, and product functional characteristics, and for assessing and demonstrating compliance. This standard also includes certification procedures for labeling.

For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions apply:

• The Type I environmental labeling program is a voluntary, multi-criteria-based, third-party program. This program issues a license authorizing the use of environmental labels on products that demonstrate the overall environmental desirability of a product within a specific product category, based on life-cycle assessments.
• A product is any good or service.
• A product category is a group of products with equivalent functionality.
• Product environmental criteria are the environmental requirements that a product must meet in order to receive the environmental label.
• Product function features are qualities or characteristics in the performance and use of a product.
• An eco-labelling organisation is a third-party organisation and its representatives that administers a Type I environmental labelling programme.
• A third party is a person or organization that is considered independent of the parties involved in the matter in question.
• A relevant party is a party affected by a Type I environmental labelling scheme.
• A licensee is a party authorised by an eco-labelling organisation to use the Type I environmental label.
• An environmental aspect is an element of an organization's activities or products that interacts or could interact with the environment. An environmental aspect can cause environmental impacts. A significant environmental aspect is one that has or could have one or more significant environmental impacts. Significant environmental aspects are determined by the organization's application of one or more criteria.
• Environmental impact is any environmental change, negative or beneficial, in whole or in part, resulting from the environmental aspects of an organization.
• Certification is the procedure by which a third party provides written assurance that a product or process conforms to specified requirements.
• A licence (for Type I environmental labelling) is a document issued under the rules of a certification system by which an eco-labelling organisation grants a person or organisation the right to use Type I environmental labels for their products in accordance with the rules of the environmental labelling scheme.
• Fitness for purpose is the ability of a product or process to serve a defined purpose under specified conditions.
• A verifier is the person or organization that performs the verification.
• Verification is the verification through the provision of objective evidence that specified requirements have been met.

Environmental labels and declarations refer to symbols, claims, or labels that provide information about the environmental impact or performance of products or services. These labels help consumers, businesses, and regulators make informed choices that support sustainability and environmental protection.

The ISO 14020 standards provide a framework for standardizing these labels. There are three main types:

• Type I: Environmental labeling (ISO 14024): Third-party certified. Based on multiple criteria for environmental performance. Often referred to as an eco-label.
• Type II: Self-declared environmental claims (ISO 14021): Made by manufacturers, importers, or distributors. Not independently verified. This includes claims such as "recyclable," "biodegradable," or "energy saving." They must be accurate, verifiable, and not misleading.
• Type III: Environmental product declarations (ISO 14025): Contains quantitative environmental data based on life cycle assessment. Verified by a third party. Focuses on transparency and comparability rather than judgment.

The purpose of eco-labels is to:

• Encouraging environmentally friendly behavior
• Helping consumers choose sustainable products
• Supporting green purchasing policies
• Promoting corporate environmental responsibility

Type I Environmental labeling (ISO 14024) is essential because it provides a reliable, standardized, and credible system for identifying products and services with superior environmental performance. This standard is important because:

• Trust with third-party certification: Type I labels are independently verified by reputable third parties. This reduces false or misleading environmental claims. Consumers can trust that labeled products meet genuine environmental criteria.
• Multi-criteria assessment: Evaluates products across multiple environmental dimensions, such as: energy use, resource consumption, emissions and waste, and recyclability.
• Informs and empowers consumers: Helps consumers easily identify more sustainable products. Encourages environmentally friendly purchasing behavior without requiring technical knowledge.
• It fosters industry development: It creates market incentives for companies to innovate and improve their environmental performance. It encourages competition based on sustainability, not just price or branding.
• Supports environmental policies and green procurement: Regulatory bodies frequently require Type I labels in public procurement. It is used as a tool for implementing sustainability standards in supply chains.
• Globally recognized standards: Type I labels are generally internationally harmonized, which aids global trade and sustainability benchmarking.

In short, Type I Eco-labelling is essential because it provides a transparent, reliable and standardised way to promote products that are genuinely better for the environment, benefiting consumers, producers and the planet.

Our organization, which has been supporting businesses across all sectors for years through a wide range of testing, measurement, analysis, and evaluation activities, has a strong team of employees who closely follow global developments in science and technology and are constantly improving themselves. In this context, we also provide testing services in accordance with the ISO 14024 Environmental Labels and Declarations - Type I Environmental Labeling - Principles and Procedures standard.