ANSI recently sponsored an independently conducted market analysis examining the current and future use of environmental labels and declarations. The study confirmed a growing demand for an ANSI-led accreditation program based on International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards that focused on determining the eligibility of a Type I environmental labeling certification scheme and on assessing the competence of eco-labeling certification bodies.
An environmental labeling certification scheme owner seeking to achieve eligibility for its eco-labeling scheme by ANSI is required to comply with all applicable requirements and processes contained in ISO 14020, Environmental labels and declarations - General Principles, and ISO 14024, Environmental labels and declarations - Type I environmental labeling - Principles and procedures, as well as ANSI Procedures PRO-PR-164 - ISO 14024, Requirements/Process to Determine Eligibility of a Type I Environmental Labeling Certification Scheme, and PRO-FR-104-ECO-ISO14024, Application for Eligibility of Type I Environmental Labeling Certification Scheme. After completing the process of eligibility determination, the eco-labeling scheme will demonstrate conformance with established international environmental declaration standards and the applicable procedures of ISO conformity assessment standards.
Certification bodies seeking to be accredited by ANSI to conduct eco-labeling certification will be required to comply with the applicable requirements and processes contained in ISO 14020, ISO 14024, and ISO/IEC 17065, Conformity assessment - Requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services, as well as ANSI Policy - PL - 102, Manual of Operations for Accreditation of Product Certification Programs. Upon completing successful assessment of their competence in accordance with these requirements, certification bodies will be granted ANSI accreditation of their process in accordance with ISO/IEC 17065.
To obtain an application to take part in this new pilot accreditation program, please contact Reinaldo Figueiredo ([email protected]; 202-331-3611), ANSI senior program director for product and process accreditation, or Nikki Jackson ([email protected]; 202-331-3623), ANSI senior manager for ANSI's product certification accreditation program.