Why ISO 14044 reporting in PIQET goes beyond packaging targets

When it comes to sustainable packaging, most conversations stop at recycling and material use. But true environmental stewardship requires a broader lens. The ISO 14044 standard goes beyond traditional packaging targets - like recycled content or recyclability rates - by requiring the use of the life cycle approach, leading to holistic picture of the system's environmental impacts. This includes resource extraction, production, transport, and end-of-life disposal, while also capturing a wide range of impact categories such as climate change, land and water use, toxicity, and particulate matter.

This rigorous and holistic approach ensures businesses don't simply shift problems from one environmental issue to another (for example, improving recyclability at the cost of increasing carbon emissions). ISO 14044-compliant reporting enables packaging professionals to go beyond compliance - providing credible, science-based evidence to guide packaging design and sustainability claims.

PIQET’s ISO 14044 report builder: Built-in support and streamlined reporting

PIQET’s built-in ISO 14044 reporting tool empowers users to easily create compliant reports. Designed with structured prompts, pre-filled templates, and streamlined modules, the tool ensures users meet every requirement of the ISO 14044 framework. Whether assessing data quality, justifying system boundaries, or documenting sensitivity analyses, PIQET simplifies the complex. And when deeper support is needed, the Lifecycles team is available for scientific consultation.

Creating an ISO 14044-compliant report with PIQET – A step-by-step overview

1. Goal & scope
   The goal should define the study’s purpose and audience, e.g., “To compare the environmental impact of PET, glass and cask wine packaging for Packaging Co Inc.’s internal design team.”

2. Impact categories
   The impact categories—e.g., Climate change, Land use, Water use, and Mineral depletion, should reflect a comprehensive set of indicators which are consistent with the goal and scope.

3. System boundaries
   Clearly define what’s included—such as raw material extraction, manufacturing, distribution, and end-of-life—and what’s excluded, with a rationale.

4. Multifunctionality & allocation
   PIQET uses a 50:50 recycling allocation by default, but you can adapt this based on the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) recommendations or custom data.

5. Assumptions
   Transparency is key. For example, if you’ve estimated a product loss rate for PET bottles due to shorter shelf life, clearly state your assumption in the report, explain the reasoning behind it and list any references.

6. Sensitivity analysis
   Compare multiple scenarios—like varying product loss rates—to see how outcomes shift. PIQET allows up to four alternate configurations to be compared at once and you can run as many sensitivity analyses as you wish.

7. Interpretation
   Identify hotspots and summarise key takeaways. For example, “Based on the hotspot analysis, the raw material phase has the highest impact when compared with the manufacturing, distribution and end-of-life phases across all packaging options. The raw material phase impact is three times higher for glass when compared with PET, and 2.5 times higher than the cask alternative.”

8. Data quality assessment
   Use PIQET’s quality module to rate your data and justify the selection of proxy datasets. Always disclose limitations in reliability or representativeness of the data.

Why it matters

As sustainability claims come under more scrutiny, ISO 14044-compliant reporting is the gold standard. It provides transparency, is supported by third-party review, and positions businesses ahead of regulatory and market expectations. With PIQET, packaging professionals can deliver fast, evidence-based insights while fulfilling best practice.

Part of the bigger picture

ISO 14044 works in harmony with other key sustainability frameworks, such as ISO 14001 (Environmental Management Systems) and ISO 26000 (Social Responsibility). Integrating ISO 14044 into your broader sustainability strategy helps build a comprehensive approach that addresses environmental, social, and governance (ESG) priorities.

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