What is a Product Carbon Footprint (PCF)?

As regulatory pressure, investor expectations, and customer scrutiny increase, companies must demonstrate the climate impact of their products with precise, verifiable data. Tracking emissions at the product level is essential not only to ensure accurate climate claims but also for building stakeholder trust, reducing risk, and positioning your company as a leader on sustainable products.

A Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) provides this insight. By measuring emissions across a product’s entire life cycle, PCFs enable informed decisions, credible claims and compliance with evolving climate standards. Below we outline what a PCF is, how it is calculated, its use, and why verification is critical.

What is a PCF?

A Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) quantifies all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated throughout a product’s life cycle — from raw material production, through manufacturing and use, to end-of-life disposal. PCFs are expressed in kilograms of CO2 equivalent (kg CO2e) allowing companies to compare products and their climate impact consistently.

PCFs have become standard practice among leading companies, enabling transparent reporting, improved decision-making, and the accurate calculation of Scope 3 emissions, which often represent the largest portion of a company’s carbon footprint. By covering all emissions along the value chain, PCFs provide the foundation for credible climate claims and strategic decarbonization.

What does a PCF include?

A PCF encompasses all relevant emissions in a product’s life cycle:

• Raw material production – extraction, cultivation, or sourcing
• Manufacturing and processing – energy use, process emissions, waste
• Distribution and logistics – transportation, storage
• Use phase – energy consumed during the product’s operational life
• End-of-life – disposal, recycling, or reuse

Two common approaches define the system boundaries:

1. Cradle-to-gate – measures emissions until the product leaves the factory; widely used where downstream data is limited.
2. Cradle-to-grave – accounts for emissions through product use and end-of-life, providing a full life-cycle perspective.

Understanding these boundaries ensures consistency, comparability, and actionable insights.

How is a PCF calculated?

PCFs are determined using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies. This involves:

• Data collection – combining primary data (from suppliers, internal operations) with secondary data (databases, emission factors)
• Emission calculation – converting energy, material, and process inputs into CO₂e
• Standards alignment – following recognized methodologies ensures credibility and comparability

Key international standards and frameworks include:

• ISO 14067 – globally recognized for product-level carbon accounting
• GHG Protocol Product Standard – widely used for corporate reporting and Scope 3 integration
• PACT Methodology – a global standard for exchanging verified product carbon data across value chains

How companies use PCFs

PCFs are not just metrics—they are strategic tools. Leading companies leverage them for both internal and external benefits.

Internal benefits

• Identify hotspots – prioritize emission reduction opportunities across materials, processes, and logistics
• Drive product design – reduce carbon intensity through alternative materials or energy efficiency
• Inform procurement – select suppliers and materials based on verified climate performance

External benefits

• Meet regulatory requirements – support compliance with emerging standards such as the EU Green Claims Directive, Product Environmental Footprint (PEF), or carbon border adjustment mechanisms
• Respond to customer expectations – B2B and B2C buyers increasingly demand transparent, verifiable product emissions data
• Strengthen sustainability claims – demonstrate leadership with credible, data-backed climate performance

By integrating PCFs into business processes, companies reduce risk, unlock operational efficiencies, and create a competitive advantage in a carbon-conscious market.

Why verification is essential

Unverified PCFs expose companies to reputational, regulatory, and financial risk. Verification provides:

• Stakeholder trust: verified data supports transparent communication with customers, investors, and regulators.
• Data accuracy and completeness: third-party verification ensures adherence to recognized standards and eliminates gaps or inconsistencies.
• Market differentiation: verified PCFs enhance credibility, making sustainability claims defensible and attractive to partners and clients.

Standards such as ISO 14067 offer structured verification protocols, ensuring that your PCF calculations are reliable, consistent, and aligned with best practices. Verification also allows companies to future-proof reporting, aligning with stricter global regulations and buyer expectations.

FAQ

Q1: What is the difference between a PCF and an LCA?
A PCF is a subset of an LCA, focused exclusively on greenhouse gas emissions. An LCA evaluates a broader range of environmental impacts.

Q2: Do PCFs count toward Scope 3 emissions?
Yes. PCFs provide the data needed to calculate Scope 3 emissions across product categories.

Q3: Why should a PCF be verified?
Verification ensures accuracy, credibility, and compliance with standards, protecting your brand and supporting regulatory reporting.