Header für die Leistung "Product Carbon Footprint PCF"

Climate Strategy & Accounting

Product Carbon Footprint
The CO2e-Footprint for your product

The PCF creates a product-specific CO₂e footprint based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Product Standard. Emissions are determined throughout the entire product life cycle and can be mapped from cradle to gate or cradle to grave, depending on the objective. The PCF creates transparency about emission hotspots and forms the basis for evidence-based product decisions and reduction measures.

Your advantages of a
product-specific footprint

  1. Identification of savings potential: A PCF identifies emission- and cost-intensive materials, processes, and supply chains, enabling targeted optimizations.
  2. Competitive advantage: The reliable presentation of environmental data builds trust among customers, business partners, and investors and facilitates access to sustainability-driven markets and tenders.
  3. Future-oriented product development: PCFs provide the data basis for product development and strategic business decisions. They support innovation, regulatory compliance, net-zero roadmaps, digital product passports (ESPR), and targeted decarbonization measures.
  4. Meeting specific customer requirements: PCFs enable the structured provision of emissions data to customers and business partners and support integration into Scope 3 reporting along the supply chain.

Your way to
a PCF

Step 1

Kick-Off

At the start of the project, we clarify your expectations and objectives for PCF accounting together. You will receive an introduction to the calculation methodology as well as a presentation of the data entry screen, which serves as the basis for data collection.

Step 2

Data acquisition

Together, we compile all relevant data and information for the PCF calculation. We maintain an iterative exchange to ensure complete coverage and answer open questions.

Step 3

Accounting

Based on the data collected, we create the product-related CO₂e balance sheet based on the internationally recognized Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG).

Step 4

Result and outlook

Finally, we present the results and identify the biggest sources of emissions. From this, we derive general reduction measures and discuss further steps to optimize your climate strategy.

Frequently asked questions,
that we answer

As a standard practice, the CO2e footprint is calculated in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. However, EDPs (Environmental Product Declarations), PCRs (Product Category Rules), or industry standards may also serve as a template. The focus is placed on CO2e emissions.

The cradle to grave system boundary takes into account the extraction of raw materials, processing of raw materials into primary products, manufacture of the product, distribution, use, disposal and recycling. The cradle to gate system boundary takes into account the extraction of raw materials, processing of raw materials into primary products and manufacture of the product.

The Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) measures the total greenhouse gas emissions of a product, product line or product group over its entire life cycle, taking into account the set system boundaries. The Corporate Carbon Footprint (CCF), on the other hand, measures the emissions of an organization, including direct and indirect influences.

CO₂e (CO₂ equivalents) is a unit of measurement that converts the greenhouse effect of various greenhouse gases into a standardized quantity. In addition to carbon dioxide (CO₂), other gases such as methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) also contribute to climate change – in some cases with a significantly greater effect. CO₂e emissions make it possible to compare the overall climate impact of a product, process or company and derive targeted reduction measures.

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol is a globally recognized standard for measuring and managing greenhouse gas emissions.

Not all data is always directly available or easy to collect for CO₂e accounting. By taking a forward-looking approach, we work in part with well-founded assumptions and projections in order to create a practical and meaningful accounting sheet. At the same time, we support you in collecting relevant data step by step and building up a more precise data basis in the long term. This makes your carbon footprint not only realistic, but also adaptable for future developments.

Bild von einem Fokus Zukunft Berater bei der Arbeit

Enquire now for PCF accounting

Do you have any questions about this service or would you like to discuss your project with us? Write to us – we look forward to exchanging ideas with you!