PCF

Product Carbon Footprint (PCF)

A Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) is a standardized method for assessing the climate impact of a product or material by measuring all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated throughout its entire life cycle — from the extraction of raw materials and manufacturing to distribution, use, and end-of-life.

What does a PCF measure?

The PCF quantifies direct and indirect GHG emissions that occur in every life cycle stage of a product. This includes:

• Upstream processes: raw material extraction and supply
• Core processes: production and manufacturing
• Downstream processes: distribution, use phase, and disposal

By covering all stages, the Product Carbon Footprint provides a cradle-to-grave perspective on a product’s climate impact.

What does “carbon” in PCF mean?

Although the term refers to “carbon,” a PCF includes all relevant greenhouse gases, not just carbon dioxide (CO₂). To make them comparable, these gases are converted into carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂e) based on their Global Warming Potential (GWP). This allows the total climate impact of a product to be expressed as a single, comparable value.

Why is PCF important?

The Product Carbon Footprint helps companies:

• Identify emission hotspots along the value chain
• Improve design, sourcing, and production efficiency
• Support Scope 3 emission reporting and CSRD compliance
• Communicate verified climate data to customers and partners
• Develop low-carbon product strategies and transparent sustainability claims

PCFs are a core element of modern LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) and a key metric for driving data-based decarbonization across industries.