What is a Product Carbon Footprint (PCF)?

A Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) quantifies the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated across all stages of a product’s lifecycle — from raw material extraction and manufacturing to logistics, product use, and end-of-life disposal. By measuring CO₂e emissions, companies gain detailed insights into emission hotspots along their value chain and can identify targeted actions for carbon reduction.

The PCF forms a core element of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and provides the basis for Scope 3 emissions accounting, ESG reporting, and CSRD compliance. It enables organizations to link product-level data with corporate sustainability targets and ensure consistent, transparent carbon accounting across the supply chain.

Accurate and comparable PCF data empower businesses to make data-driven sustainability decisions, enhance supply chain visibility, and reduce their environmental impact. With sustamize’s verified emissions database and intelligent PCF calculation tools, companies can efficiently measure, manage, and minimize the carbon footprint of products, materials, and processes to achieve long-term Net Zero goals.