What It Is

ENERGY STAR is the U.S. EPA-administered voluntary labeling and benchmarking program for energy efficiency. It sets category-specific performance thresholds above federal minimums, using standardized DOE test procedures for products, homes, buildings, and industrial plants.

Key Components

• Performance thresholds (e.g., 15% above minimums for appliances)
• Third-party certification via EPA-recognized labs and bodies
• Ongoing verification testing (5-20% annually)
• Portfolio Manager for building scores (75+ for certification)
• Brand governance with strict mark usage rules

Why Organizations Use It

Reduces energy costs ($500B saved since 1992), emissions (4B tons avoided), unlocks rebates/procurement advantages, enhances reputation (90% consumer recognition), supports ESG goals.

Implementation Overview

Involves partnership enrollment, lab testing, certification submission via QPX, annual verification, data reporting. Applies to manufacturers, builders, building owners across sectors; requires continuous compliance, data governance, and adaptation to spec updates. (178 words)

What It Is

ISO/IEC 27032:2023, titled Cybersecurity — Guidelines for Internet Security, is an international guidance standard providing non-certifiable recommendations for Internet security within cybersecurity. It frames cyberspace as a multi-stakeholder ecosystem, using a risk-based, collaborative approach linking information security, network security, and critical infrastructure protection (CIIP).

Key Components

• Stakeholder roles, collaboration frameworks, and responsibilities
• Risk assessment, threat modeling, and treatment for Internet threats
• Guidance across preventive, detective, corrective controls mapped to ISO/IEC 27002 in Annex A
• Principles of PDCA for continuous improvement; no fixed control count

Why Organizations Use It

• Reduces ecosystem risks, shortens incident dwell time, enhances resilience
• Aligns indirectly with regulations like NIS2, GDPR for due diligence
• Builds stakeholder trust, enables market access, lowers insurance costs
• Provides competitive edge in digital collaboration and cyber maturity

Implementation Overview

Phased: gap analysis, stakeholder mapping, risk assessment, controls deployment, monitoring. Applies to all sizes, especially online/networked orgs globally. Integrates with ISO 27001; no formal certification.