Implementation
The Product Carbon Footprint Guide
What a product carbon footprint is, how to calculate one, which standards apply and how PCF data is used in the DPP and CBAM. An end-to-end PCF guide.
A product carbon footprint (PCF) expresses the greenhouse gas emissions caused across a product's life cycle in kg CO2 equivalent. It is a mandatory public-tier field in the battery passport, is arriving through delegated acts for other product groups, and is already requested contractually by many brands.
This guide walks through producing a PCF that will survive scrutiny once it is published in a passport.
PCF in five steps
1. Goal and scope
What are you calculating, and for whom? For the battery passport it is kg CO2e/kWh; in textiles usually kg CO2e per item. The functional unit is defined here.
2. System boundary
- Cradle-to-gate: raw material extraction to the factory gate — the standard for B2B and supplier declarations.
- Cradle-to-grave: includes use and end-of-life, required for consumer claims and most regulation.
3. Data collection
Energy use, material quantities, transport distances, scrap rates. See primary vs secondary data and collecting data from suppliers.
4. Impact assessment
Activity data × emission factor. Factors come from databases such as ecoinvent or national inventories. Declare whether you used a grid average or a market-based supplier factor for electricity.
5. Interpretation and reporting
Sensitivity analysis, a data quality assessment and a clear statement of method. See how to calculate a PCF.
Which standard?
| Standard | Scope | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 14040 / 14044 | General LCA framework and requirements | Doing a full LCA |
| ISO 14067 | Product carbon footprint | Carbon only |
| GHG Protocol Product Standard | Product-level corporate reporting | Aligning with Scope 3 |
| PEF | The EU's 16-category multi-criteria method | EU policy alignment and comparability |
| EPD (EN 15804 etc.) | Verified, PCR-based declaration | Construction and B2B tenders |
See ISO 14040/14044 vs 14067, PEF and what an EPD is.
The allocation problem
If a production line makes several products, how do you split the emissions — by mass, by economic value, by physical relationship? The decision materially changes the result and is one of the first things an auditor asks about. Record the choice and the reasoning.
Verification
Carbon data published in a passport will eventually be questioned. There are three levels of assurance:
- Self-declared: your own calculation with a stated method.
- Third-party review: an independent critical review.
- Accredited verification: formal verification under ISO 14064-3 or programme rules.
Green claims legislation raises the evidence bar for consumer-facing claims. See the Green Claims Directive.
Relationship with CBAM
The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism requires embedded emissions to be declared for imports of iron and steel, aluminium, cement, fertiliser, electricity and hydrogen. CBAM embedded emissions and a PCF are not the same thing — boundaries and scope differ — but they draw on the same plant data. Running the two exercises separately is a common and expensive mistake. See CBAM and the DPP.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need LCA software to calculate a PCF?
For simple products a well-built spreadsheet can be enough. For multi-component products, software becomes practically unavoidable for updateability and auditability.
Is it a problem to use secondary data?
No, but you have to declare it. Most methods expect primary data for processes under your direct control and secondary data for background processes.
My supplier will not provide carbon data. What now?
Build a baseline with secondary data first and see which components dominate the result. Typically 80% of emissions come from a handful of items — concentrate your collection effort there.
Must I publish the PCF in the passport?
For batteries, yes, in the public tier. For other product groups it depends on the delegated act — but customer contracts are asking ahead of regulation.
