ISO 14021:2026, Self-declared Environmental Claims

Consumers today are more environmentally conscious than ever before, with roughly 70% of shoppers considering sustainability in their purchases and expecting transparent proof from brands. As a result, businesses highlight the environmental benefits of their products with claims, such as “biodegradable,” “reusable,” and ” recycled content.” Clear rules for these claims are necessary for customers to distinguish meaningful environmental improvements from misleading marketing. ISO 14021:2026, Environmental statements and programs for products – Self-declared environmental claims provides an internationally recognized framework for organizations making environmental claims about their products.

What Are Self-Declared Environmental Claims?

Self-declared environmental claims (also known as Type II environmental labels) are voluntary statements, symbols, or graphics made directly by manufacturers, marketers, or retailers about the environmental performance of their products, without independent third-party certification. Common examples include phrases like “recyclable,” “bio-based,” “renewable material,” “degradable,” or “compostable.”

Purpose of Self-Declared Environmental Claims

ISO 14021:2026 specifies that the overall goals of environmental statements are the following:

Communicate accurate and relevant information about the environmental aspects or environmental impacts of products
Encourage the demand for and supply of products that cause less stress on the environment.

This international standard provides a practical framework for organizations seeking to communicate environmental performance with greater clarity, accuracy, and accountability.

What Is ISO 14021:2026?

ISO 14021:2026 establishes internationally recognized principles and requirements for self-declared environmental claims made by manufacturers, distributors, importers, retailers, or any organization marketing products. It defines commonly used environmental terminology while establishing requirements for how these terms should be used consistently and accurately.

ISO 14021:2026 specifies that self-declared environmental claims made in regard to products can take the form of words, symbols, or graphics or combinations thereof on product or package labels, or in product literature, technical bulletins, advertising, publicity or telemarketing, as well as digital or electronic media.

ISO 14021:2026 requires the user to apply the requirements in ISO 14020:2022, Environmental statements and programs for products – Principles and general requirements.

Changes Made in the 2026 Edition of ISO 14021

This third edition of ISO 14021 cancels and replaces the second edition (ISO 14021:2016), which has been technically revised. It also incorporates the Amendment ISO 14021:2016/Amd 1:2021. The main changes in ISO 14021:2026 are as follows:

Elements that are common to all the documents on environmental statements developed by ISO/TC 207/SC 3 have been removed and are now in ISO 14020
ISO 14021 has been restructured to correspond with the structure of ISO 14020
Self-declared environmental claims are now required to be part of a documented “program”
Enhanced requirements have been included for documentary information to be retained to demonstrate the validity/veracity of the self-declared environmental claim
New requirements have been added to disclose the effect of attribution of characteristics where it impacts the reliability of some self-declared environmental claims
Guidance has been added about the role that maintaining a chain of custody plays in assessing certain self-declared environmental claims, such as recycled content
The specific claims included in Clause 8, Requirements for selected self-declared environmental claims, have been updated to reflect changes in the market and additional claims have been added to Clause 8
Guidance for use of the Mobius loop symbol has been changed to address current marketplace confusion
Identification of environmental statements that are not appropriate for self-declared environmental claims and listing of other standards that can be used for these claims has been added

Why Accurate Environmental Claims Matter

51% of consumers say environmental sustainability is more important today than it was previously; 77% want to make sustainable choices. The consumer shift to purchasing more eco-conscious products is clear, but how do consumers know that the environmental claim of a product is accurate and credible?

Vague, unsubstantiated, or misleading claims—often referred to as greenwashing—can create an unfair advantage for organizations that exaggerate their environmental performance. As such, the credibility of environmental claims plays a critical role in helping consumers make informed purchasing decisions while promoting fair competition in the marketplace. ISO 14021:2026 emphasizes that self-declared environmental claims should be supported by transparent, scientifically sound, and well-documented assessment methods.

By providing objective evidence for these claims, organizations can strengthen consumer confidence and help assure that environmental statements are accurate, reliable, and meaningful.

Eco-Labeling Accreditation

Organizations seeking independent validation of their environmental labeling programs can also pursue accreditation through the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB). ANAB’s Eco-Labeling Accreditation Program accredits certification bodies for Type I environmental labeling and conformity assessment bodies that verify and validate Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). The program is based on internationally recognized standards, including ISO 14020, ISO 14024, ISO 14025, and ISO/IEC 17065.

ANAB’s Eco-Labeling Accreditation Program helps build confidence that environmental labels and declarations are evaluated through a competent, impartial, and internationally recognized accreditation process.