ISO 14071:2024
2024-10
What is ISO 14071?
ISO 14071 is the international standard for critical review processes and reviewer competencies in life cycle assessment (LCA). It provides additional requirements and guidance to ISO 14040 and ISO 14044, specifying how to conduct a critical review of any type of LCA study and the competencies required for the review.
The ISO 14071 standard offers organizations detailed guidance on implementing effective critical review processes for LCA studies, ensuring consistency, transparency, efficiency, and credibility.
Conformity with ISO 14071 means that an organization has implemented a robust critical review process for its LCA studies, enhancing the quality and reliability of its environmental management practices.
Why is ISO 14071 important?
With the increasing use of LCA and its applications in areas such as carbon footprinting and environmental labelling, it's crucial to have a standardized approach to critical review processes. ISO 14071 helps organizations ensure the robustness and credibility of their LCA studies, which is particularly important for comparative assertions intended to be disclosed to the public.
ISO 14071 promotes a comprehensive approach to critical review: detailing the review process, specifying reviewer competencies, and emphasizing content over form. A critical review process implemented according to this standard is a tool for quality assurance, credibility enhancement, and stakeholder acceptance of LCA studies.
Benefits
- Enhanced credibility of LCA studies
- Improved consistency in critical review processes
- Increased transparency of LCA results
- Quality assurance for LCA practitioners and commissioners
- Adaptability to various LCA-based standards and applications
FAQ
In the field of environmental management and sustainability, credible LCA studies are crucial for informed decision-making and communication. Any organization involved in conducting or commissioning LCA studies should consider ISO 14071. This includes:
- Environmental consultancies
- Manufacturing companies
- Research institutions
- Government agencies
- Certification bodies
- LCA practitioners and reviewers
While the standard is specifically designed for LCA critical reviews, it can also be applied to other standards that require independent review of LCA-based procedures and information (e.g., ISO 14045, ISO 14046, ISO 14025, ISO 14067).
Organizations that adopt the comprehensive approach described in ISO 14071 will ensure that their LCA studies are rigorously reviewed and credible. They gain confidence in their environmental assessments and often emerge as trusted voices in sustainability discussions.
Implementing the critical review framework specified in the ISO 14071 standard helps you:
- Ensure robust and credible LCA studies
- Provide a standardized framework for critical review processes
- Improve consistency across different LCA studies and reviews
- Enhance transparency of the review process and results
- Clarify competency requirements for LCA reviewers
- Adapt review processes for different types of LCA studies and intended uses
- Increase stakeholder acceptance of LCA results, especially for comparative assertions
- Support compliance with other LCA-related standards
- Improve the efficiency of the critical review process
- Enhance your organization's reputation for environmental responsibility and transparency
General information
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Status: PublishedPublication date: 2024-10Stage: International Standard published [60.60]
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Edition: 1Number of pages: 11
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Technical Committee :ISO/TC 207/SC 5ICS :13.020.60
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Life cycle
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Previously
WithdrawnISO/TS 14071:2014
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Now
