This Technical Bulletin is applicable to all Validation and Verification Bodies (VVB).
Following the publication of ISO 14066:2023, this bulletin has been produced to update VVBs on the period for transition to the revised version of the standard.
Compared with the previous version of the standard (ISO 14066:2011), the main changes in the revised edition include:
- the scope has been extended from greenhouse gas to environmental information claims
- inclusion of additional definitions related to validation and verification, and debt instruments
- principle related to impartiality added
- brief clause on the application of principles added
- team competence requirements added to
- normative annexes providing additional competence requirements for certain types of environmental information statements have been added
UKAS has developed a transition plan to support a consistent approach within defined timescales and will be assessing against the requirements of the revised standard from 1 January 2025.
Where possible, the assessment to confirm the understanding and implementation of revised requirements will be incorporated into the routine annual assessments. Extra effort will be assigned to the assessment to enable UKAS to do this as detailed below:
- Technical Assessor – 0.5 days on site
- Lead Assessor – 0.5 days office time
If this is not possible either due to the readiness of the VVB, or where UKAS has been unable to confirm the effective implementation of requirements in the revised standard, then a further assessment may be required. If areas are identified that do not adequately fulfil the revised requirements, then these will be raised as mandatory improvement actions, and shall be addressed in the normal way.
Assessment activity will take place as soon as practicable in line with the above. All assessment activity will be required to be completed by the 31 May 2025. This will allow VVBs time to address potential mandatory improvement actions, to complete additional assessment activity (as required), and for UKAS to complete the decision-making process prior to the 31 August 2025 transition deadline. As with any transition, failure to meet the milestones and complete the transition by the deadline may put accreditation for the relevant scope at risk.
Timeline:
| Date | Milestone / activity |
|---|---|
| 1 January 2025 | UKAS to assess against the new requirements |
| 31 January 2025 | VVBs to confirm readiness for assessment to UKAS |
| 31 May 2025 | All assessment activities to be completed |
| 31 August 2025 | All UKAS transitions of VVBs completed |
Should you require any clarification on the above, please contact your Assessment Manager in the first instance. In the absence of your Assessment Manager, one of the following may be able to assist:
- Richard McFarlane, Head of Technical Coordination – [email protected]
- Adam Ward, Accreditation Specialist – [email protected]
Download this Technical Bulletin as a pdf here.