What is ISO 14060

ISO 14060 is the forthcoming international standard for management system requirements for Net Zero Aligned Organisations, expected to be published in mid to late 2026. This will be the world’s first ISO standard for net zero and marks an important and exciting development in enabling companies to structure and monitor their arrangements to achieve their net zero commitments.

Companies and organisations around the world already have net zero commitments and targets. Now, for the first time, an international (ISO) standard will be available to allow companies to demonstrate and promote those commitments, including in response to supply chain pressures, stakeholder expectations, and regulatory and policy developments.

The launch of the ISO 14060 standard in 2026 is timely. Data aimed at holding companies to account against their net zero targets demonstrates the need for this, for example, according to Net Zero Tracker

Almost two-thirds (65%) of the annual revenue of the world’s largest 2,000 companies is now covered by a net zero target
However, only one in six (16%) of the world’s largest 2,000 companies are currently on track to reach net zero emissions in their operations by 2050
Of these companies, 82 are UK based and have set net zero targets. Of these:
8 (10%) have a suitably detailed plan to achieve their target
49 (60%) have a partially detailed plan to achieve their target
25 (30%) have no detailed plan to achieve their target.

ISO 14060 is very much needed therefore and certification to ISO 14060 with NQA will provide for significant improvements in enabling companies to demonstrate their commitment and arrangements for net zero.

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Helps you with

Gaining a competitive advantage by demonstrating your commitment to sustainable development
Demonstrating best practice to your key stakeholders, including customers, regulators, employees, investors and suppliers
Demonstrating commitment and transparency
Preparing to satisfy any statutory requirements for mandatory carbon and net zero reporting.
Organising your net zero strategy around a globally recognised ISO standard using globally recognised Greenhouse Gas (GHG) quantification, science based targeting, and reporting arrangements

Your ISO 14060 Certification Journey

Prepare: Your organisation can start preparing for ISO 14060 now, and aim for certification when the standard is launched, potentially becoming one of the world’s first organisations to achieve this.

ISO 14060 is very likely to closely mirror the existing ISO Guidelines for Net Zero, IWA 42. IWA 42 is a great starting point in your preparations for ISO 14060.

ISO 14060 will use ISO 14064-1 as the methodology for quantifying your GHG emissions. NQA offer UKAS Accredited verification to this standard, providing you with another excellent starting point for ISO 14060.

Why not make the very best preparations, and combine ISO 14064-1 verification and IWA 42 certification? NQA’s Net Zero Aligned service provides exactly that. If you are already ISO 14064-1 verified, you can proceed straight to IWA42 certification.

You can use any of the above to prepare with confidence, ready for the launch.

Quantify: You should begin by using ISO 14064-1 (or an equivalent, with justification) to quantify your direct (scope 1), energy indirect (scope 2) and significant indirect (scope 3) emissions for a specific historical period, usually the last calendar or financial year. This will then become your baseline year. This data can be presented in the form of a GHG Inventory.

Target: Next you should set a science based target for net zero. This involves choosing a suitable target year (many companies will choose 2050, or sometimes earlier), then using a science based targeting tool (this can be obtained online for free) to enter your GHG data. The output will provide you with short and long term targets to work towards.

Reduce: In order to remain aligned with your net zero target, you will need to plan to reduce your GHG emissions, for example, via a Carbon Reduction Plan.

Measure: You will need to continue to measure your GHG emissions, usually via annual update of your GHG Inventory, so that you can measure your continued alignment to your net zero science based target. Often progress will not be linear, it may fluctuate from year to year, but the longer term alignment is key.

Report: GHG and net zero reporting is commonplace in many organisations, and the requirement to do so is increasing. Your preparations for ISO 14060 will enable you to measure your performance against the science based net zero target with confidence, enabling you to prepare and report your performance in a robust and credible manner. Verify: NQA can conduct an independent, third party verification of your ISO 14060 alignment to net zero, to ensure this is accurate, reliable and robust. As a UKAS Accredited organisation for providing audit and verification of GHG data, NQA will offer ISO 14060 verification services on an unaccredited basis initially, aiming to seek accreditation as soon as it becomes available.

Why Achieve 3rd Party Verification?

Independent, third party verification with NQA will stand up to scrutiny and provide robust assurance to protect your organisation’s credibility in your GHG and net zero reporting
Provides the highest degree of confidence to stakeholders
Reduces the risk of operational or reputational damage caused by a potential error or misstatement
You can promote your independent verification and utilise the relevant NQA logos / promotional materials.

How NQA Can Help

A verification body should provide value for your money. At NQA, we provide independent verification and can help guide you through the process to understand the requirements. We can also support your journey to carbon neutrality through training and skills development.

To learn more about ISO 14060 services, contact our team today!