Product Carbon Footprint

What is a Product Carbon Footprint?

A Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) is a carbon footprint at product level that considers direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions during the product life cycle.

In order to improve or even neutralise the climate impact of products, the greenhouse gas emissions associated with a product and its life cycle must first be recorded. Thanks to a product carbon footprint, we gain valuable insights into the current situation and possible improvement potential.

Scope of a Product Carbon Footprint (PCF)

The scope of a PCF can cover different life cycle phases. A distinction is usually made between two approaches:

Cradle-to-gate:
- Consideration from the provision of raw materials to the completion of the product.
- Application mostly for intermediate products
Cradle-to-grave:
- Consideration from the extraction of the raw materials to the disposal of the product.
- Mostly used for end products

Not only carbon dioxide emissions, but also other greenhouse gases such as methane, nitrous oxide and nitrogen trifluoride have to be taken into account. Recognised standards such as ISO 14067 or the GHG Protocol standard can be used to prepare PCFs.

Procedure for the creation of a Product Carbon Footprint

The preparation of a PCF can be divided into four main steps:

Definition of the objective and the scope of the study.
They form the basic framework of the study and determine, among other things, which life cycle phases and processes are considered, which methodology is used for the calculation or for which processes primary data are collected.
Data collection in the company and its preparation.
The exact data required depends on the processes to be considered. Important data sources are, for example, the composition of the product, the energy input during production or the transport routes. Data gaps can be closed with the help of estimates or general data.
Modelling of the product life cycle and calculation of potential emissions.
Special software tools are used here in combination with recognised LCA data sets. Where possible, the latter should be used consistently and be of high quality. This is the only way to achieve meaningful results.
Analysis of the results.The PCF results can help to identify possible measures to reduce the climate impacts of products and production processes. They can form an important basis for defining CO2 reduction pathways as part of an overarching climate protection strategy.

Our Services

Preparation of Product Carbon Footprints

We calculate carbon footprints for a wide range of products - compliant or in accordance with specific standards, such as the GHG Protocol or ISO 14067. We support you in choosing the appropriate standard and assessment framework.

Accompanied preparation of Product Carbon Footprints

Do you prefer to prepare PCFs of your products internally, but need an independent expert opinion? We are at your side with advice and support to help you make the right decisions.

Verification of Product Carbon Footprints

You have already calculated product carbon footprints and want to increase their credibility or have their correctness verified by independent experts? We verify your calculation and ensure that the quality is correct. You receive internationally recognised verification statements that you can use in your external communication.

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Greenhouse Gas Accounting (Product Datasheet)

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137.42 KB

Verification of Greenhouse Gas Balances and Reports (Product Datasheet)

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158.29 KB

Our sustainability training offers

Would you like to familiarise yourself or your staff with the CCF methodology? We offer various training courses on the topic of climate change. Our trainings are based on specific standards and have both theoretical and practical content. In addition, you can also book in-house workshops with us that are individually tailored to your needs. In workshops, the practical part predominates.

Carbon Footprint Training (3 Moduls)

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