Can I use International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14064-1 instead of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol for the European Union (EU) voluntary standard for small companies (VSME)?
Yes, the standard says that as an alternative to the GHG Protocol, companies may use ISO 14064-1 if it suits their reporting needs. The emissions line itself is worded around the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard (2004 version). VSME is the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group's Voluntary standard for non-listed micro-, small- and medium-sized undertakings.
What the standard says
- Disclosure B3 says to disclose estimated gross emissions in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, considering the content of the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard (version 2004), covering Scope 1 (smoke from sources you own) and location-based Scope 2 (smoke from power you buy).
- The guidance says the GHG Protocol is the leading accounting standard for these emissions, and that the requirement builds on its definitions and rules.
- It then adds: as an alternative to the GHG Protocol, undertakings may resort to ISO 14064-1, should it be better suited to their reporting needs.
In plain words
Both are rule books for counting emissions. They are like two recipe books for the same dish. The standard names the first as its base and allows the second if it suits you better.
What to do
- Our suggestion: pick one rule book and write its name at the top of the emissions section.
- State which one you used, and use the same one next year so figures compare. The GHG Protocol's own principles include consistency over time, which the standard lists.
What this does not say
Using ISO 14064-1 does not mean your figures are verified by anyone. The text we read treats it as a choice of method only. If your buyer wants an outside check, that is a separate request.
What Senseible does here
Senseible reads fuel invoices and electricity bills into records. The energy and emissions figures start from those records. Senseible does not choose between the GHG Protocol and ISO 14064-1 for your report; that choice is yours.
- What is the VSME standard?
- Location-based or market-based Scope 2
- Methane and nitrous oxide from diesel
Last reviewed 2026-11-07. Facts are from the standard's own text, with the paragraph numbers named in the source line. The European Commission adopted its own standard for voluntary use in a Delegated Regulation of 3 July 2026, which is not in force until it is published in the Official Journal and may differ from this text, so ask your buyer which one it means. Our own readings are marked as such.