Amount of pesticides used during the reporting period on land area directly controlled by the organization.
Organizations should footnote the classification of pesticides used by hazard level, as listed by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Acute Toxicity Hazard Categories. Organizations should also footnote the source of data. See glossary term and usage guidance for further information.
This metric is intended to capture the quantity of pesticides used during the reporting period on land directly controlled by the organization. Pesticide use refers to the use of insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, disinfectants, and any other substance intended to prevent, destroy, attract, repel, or control any pest, including unwanted species of plants or animals, during the production, storage, transport, distribution, and processing of food, agricultural commodities, and animal feeds that may be administered to animals for the control of parasites.
Organizations can refer to the glossary for additional information on pesticide use and the WHO Acute Toxicity Hazard Categories. Organizations that use WHO Class Ia (extremely hazardous) and Ib (highly hazardous) pesticides should footnote additional details on the relevant land (for example, area applied and crops present) and pesticide use.
June 2022 - IRIS v5.3 Released (current version)
Immaterial change. Minor revision to usage guidance for clarity.
January 2020 - IRIS v5.1 Released
No change.
May 2019 - IRIS v5.0 Released
No change.
March 2016 - IRIS v4.0 Released
Material change. Metric definition language and corresponding glossary term modified to increase generalization.
March 2014 - IRIS v3.0 Released
Immaterial change. Minor revision to definition language for clarity.
November 2011 - IRIS v2.2 Released
Immaterial change. Pesticide Use (OI9891) replaced Agrochemicals Used (OI9891). Metric name modified to improve accuracy.
February 2011 - IRIS v2.1 Released
No change.
September 2010 - IRIS v2.0 Released
Immaterial change. Minor revision to definition language for clarity.
September 2009 - IRIS v1.0 Released
New metric. Agrochemicals Used (A11) was developed via the Original IRIS Working Group.
IRIS Metrics Work Better in Sets
To use IRIS metrics—and the resulting data—to understand impact performance, IRIS metrics should be used and analyzed in generally accepted sets and according to well-defined objectives. IRIS+ gives you access to generally accepted Core Metrics Sets aligned to common Impact Themes and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).