ISO for Reducing Supply Chain Emissions: Which Certifications to Consider

Large organisations are under increasing pressure to prove their sustainability credentials, especially when responding to tenders and other new business requests. Procurement teams are no longer satisfied with vague promises of “going green” — they want verifiable evidence that you are actively reducing emissions across your supply chain.

This is where ISO certifications play a vital role. These internationally recognised standards provide the framework, credibility, and third-party verification that demonstrate you’re not only committed to meeting your emissions responsibilities but that you have structured processes in place to measure, reduce, and manage them too.

In this article, we’ll explore the ISO standards most relevant to supply chain emissions, with a focus on those that help larger corporates stand out in tender applications. If your organisation is considering ISO certifications to support reducing supply chain emissions for your tender responses, contact our isologists® today.

Why Reducing Supply Chain Emissions Are in the Spotlight – Looking at Scope 3 Emissions

For many businesses, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come mainly from their supply chains rather than their own operations. Known as Scope 3 emissions, these include emissions from purchased goods and services, transportation, waste management, and even employee commuting.

Scope 3 emissions are often the hardest to measure and control because they rely on the practices of multiple external organisations. Yet, they also represent the biggest opportunity for meaningful reductions. Procurement teams looking at large tender submissions are increasingly scrutinising Scope 3 performance to ensure that suppliers are committed to reducing emissions across the value chain.

By achieving the right ISO certifications, you can:

• Reduce long-term costs through better energy and resource efficiency.
• Strengthen your tender submissions with verifiable proof of emission-reduction efforts.
• Gain a competitive edge by showing proactive supply chain management.
• Build trust with stakeholders who need assurance of sustainability.

Which ISO Certifications Should You Consider?

There are several ISO standards that can support organisations in reducing emissions and enable them to demonstrate supply chain responsibility. Here’s a breakdown of the most relevant for tender-focused corporates, along with practical insights on how they can be applied.

1. ISO 14001 – Environmental Management Systems

Best for: Building a foundation for supply chain sustainability

ISO 14001 provides a framework for identifying environmental impacts, setting reduction targets, and ensuring continual improvement. Beyond your own operations, it encourages you to consider environmental performance across suppliers.

Examples of practical actions you can take:

• Integrate sustainability criteria into supplier contracts to encourage lower-carbon practices.
• Monitor the lifecycle emissions of raw materials and outsourced services.
• Work with logistics providers to reduce emissions from transportation.
• Encourage suppliers to implement their own environmental management systems.

For tender submissions, ISO 14001 demonstrates that your business has a systematic approach to environmental management, which reassures procurement teams that sustainability isn’t an afterthought.

2. ISO 14064 – Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Verification

Best for: Measuring and reporting emissions, including Scope 3

ISO 14064 focuses on the quantification, monitoring, and verification of greenhouse gas emissions. While ISO 14001 provides a framework, ISO 14064 gives the data and credibility needed to back up your claims.

Practical actions you can take:

• Establish a comprehensive inventory of GHG emissions across suppliers and logistics.
• Independently verify your emissions reporting, giving tender evaluators confidence in your data.
• Identify the highest-emission areas in your supply chain to prioritise reduction efforts.
• Track progress over time, demonstrating continual improvement.

Procurement teams increasingly request quantified emissions data. ISO 14064 ensures that your figures are auditable, credible, and reliable, reducing risk in tender evaluations. Contact Carbonology, our subsidiary company that specialises in ISO 14064. Their ISO 14064 consultancy service can help you implement a management system that reduces your carbon footprint.

3. ISO 14068 – Carbon Neutrality

Best for: Demonstrating carbon neutrality in supply chains

ISO 14068 is the internationally recognised specification for achieving carbon neutrality. It goes beyond measurement to include emission reduction strategies and verified offsetting for unavoidable emissions.

Practical actions you can take:

• Verify that supplier emissions reductions are real and measurable.
• Offset remaining emissions through high-quality carbon credits, ideally linked to projects with social and environmental benefits.
• Communicate verified carbon neutrality to clients and stakeholders as part of tender documentation.

ISO 14068 is particularly compelling for tenders that require proof of climate leadership, giving corporates a visible differentiator when competing for contracts. Speak to our colleagues in Carbonology if you’d like to find out more.

4. ISO 20400 – Sustainable Procurement

Best for: Embedding sustainability into supplier relationships

ISO 20400 provides guidance on integrating sustainability principles into procurement processes. It focuses on influencing supplier behaviour to achieve lower emissions and stronger ESG outcomes.

Practical actions you can take:

• Evaluate suppliers based on carbon performance and environmental practices.
• Include sustainability criteria in tenders and contracts to drive reductions upstream.
• Partner with suppliers on initiatives like energy efficiency improvements or low-carbon logistics.
• Train procurement teams to identify and mitigate environmental risks in sourcing decisions.

ISO 20400 helps large corporates prove their influence on supply chain emissions, which is exactly the type of evidence tender evaluators look for.

Supporting Standards Worth Considering When Tasked with Reducing Supply Chain Emissions

In addition to the core certifications above, the following can complement your emissions reduction strategy:

• ISO 50001 – Energy Management Systems: Focuses on improving energy efficiency, reducing consumption, and lowering emissions in manufacturing, transport, and facilities operations.
• ESOS Compliance (UK-specific): Mandates energy audits for large organisations which meet specific criteria. While not an ISO standard, it demonstrates commitment to efficiency and supports tender applications with credible, auditable energy data.

Which Certification Is Right for Your Organisation?

For large enterprises preparing tender applications, the choice of ISO standard depends on your goals and current maturity:

• Starting your sustainability journey: ISO 14001 is an excellent foundation, giving you a framework to integrate environmental considerations across operations and suppliers.
• Need verified emissions data: ISO 14064 provides the measurement and independent verification required to answer tender questions on carbon reporting.
• Seeking carbon leadership: ISO 14068 enables you to prove carbon neutrality across operations and key suppliers.
• Influencing suppliers: ISO 20400 ensures your procurement processes actively reduce emissions upstream, demonstrating responsible supply chain management.

Often, businesses combine several standards to create a robust, credible, and tender-ready sustainability portfolio. If you’d like to chat with one of our isologists® to understand more, give us a call.

Taking the Next Step

Reducing supply chain emissions may seem complex, but with the right ISO standards, it becomes structured, verifiable, and strategically valuable.

At Blackmores, our team of isologists® has a 100% success rate in guiding organisations through ISO certification. Whether you’re building your foundation with ISO 14001, measuring emissions with ISO 14064, proving carbon neutrality with ISO 14068, or embedding sustainability into procurement with ISO 20400, we can create a bespoke management system that works for your business and your supply chain.

Contact our team today and take the first step toward a lower-carbon, tender-ready supply chain.

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