By Natali Giorgalla,
Standardization Officer for Services & Management at the Cyprus Organization for Standardization (CYS)
The ISO (International Organization for Standardization) continues to promote environmental sustainability through its standards. Specifically, ISO has set out its strategic plan, “ISO Strategy 2030”, which establishes 2030 as a milestone year for evaluating the organization’s progress and foundational work. One of the priorities (Priority 2.3) of this strategy focuses on advancing environmental sustainability through ISO standards.
This priority is achieved through initiatives that enhance the availability of standards addressing global environmental sustainability needs and increasing their worldwide adoption. In 2025, ISO will prioritize consolidating progress and promoting systemic and lasting change by integrating sustainability into the standards development process, enhancing stakeholder engagement, and ensuring the institutional structures necessary for the effective development of sustainability-driven standards. In addition, ISO will undertake several actions aimed at achieving Net Zero, demonstrating its commitment to sustainability through tangible actions.
To achieve these goals, some of ISO’s sustainability efforts are reflected in the following standards currently under development:
ISO 14019 Series of Standards
The Joint Working Group between CASCO (Committee on Conformity Assessment) and ISO/TC 207/SC 2 (Environmental auditing & related practices) continues the development of the ISO 14019 standard series, which outlines requirements for the validation and verification of sustainability information, including reporting.
These standards address the need for validation and verification of sustainability-related information, supporting public demand and regulatory requirements for sustainability declarations and reporting. The specific standards are:
· ISO 14019-1: Sustainability information – Part 1: General principles and requirements for validation and verification.
· ISO 14019-2: Sustainability information – Part 2: Principles and requirements for verification processes.
· ISO 14019-4: Sustainability information – Part 4: Principles and requirements for bodies validating and verifying sustainability information.
Drafts of these standards are currently available for public comment, as they are under development and expected to be published by the end of 2025.
ISO 14060 – Net Zero Aligned Organizations
The ISO Technical Committee ISO/TC 207/SC 7 (Greenhouse gas & climate change management and related activities) is working on a new standard: ISO 14060 – Net Zero Aligned Organizations.
ISO 32212 – Sustainable finance: Net zero transition planning for financial institutions
The ISO Technical Committee ISO/TC 322 (Sustainable Finance) is developing a standard for Net Zero transition planning for financial institutions. The goal is to publish ISO 32212 during COP30 in November 2025.
COPOLCO (Committee on Consumer Policy)
COPOLCO identifies key standardization areas of consumer interest and works to promote and coordinate consumer representation in those areas. It also influences ISO’s work program by proposing new areas of standardization where there is a perceived need for increased consumer protection. Currently, COPOLCO focuses on supporting consumers and advocating for their right to transparency about the environmental and social impacts of products and services in ISO standards.
An example of this is the development of a new standard titled:
Consumer Sustainability – Guidelines for Providing Product Sustainability Information in E-commerce.
For further information on the aforementioned standards, interested parties can stay informed or get involved with the relevant ISO Technical Committees by contacting the CYS (Cyprus Organization for Standardization) offices at 22.411.411, or via email at: cystandards@cys.org.cy & c.service@cys.org.cy
About CYS
The Cyprus Organization for Standardization (CYS) is the National Standards Body of Cyprus. It represents the economic and social interests of Cyprus in all European and international standardization organizations. It collaborates with various sectors, businesses, government agencies, and consumers for the development of Cypriot, European, and international standards. CYS is the competent authority for the adoption and implementation of European and International Standards in Cyprus.
About ISO
ISO is an independent, non-governmental international organization. Through its members, it brings together experts to share knowledge and develop voluntary, consensus-based, market-relevant international standards that support innovation and provide solutions to global challenges.
