GLOBAL CARBON DATABASE
Direct access to the largest agricultural emissions database
The Global Carbon Database delivers vetted emission factors for fast and credible climate reporting
Credible emissions data for food and agriculture
License the GCD to establish an emissions baseline for corporate carbon accounting and reporting. Identify hotspots, meet CDP and SBTi reporting standards, and prepare for future emissions reduction planning — all without a full-scale platform rollout.
Access the GCDBENEFITS
Why the Global Carbon Database?
Quick Time to Value
Access audit-ready emission factors immediately
Start simple, expand when ready
Budget-friendly access to trusted data
Immediate identification of hot spots
Food System Expertise
Purpose-built for food and agriculture
Granular coverage including processed ingredients and researched ingredient concentrations
Built with HowGood’s Carbon Trust certified footprint methodology
Future Growth Pathway
Built on GHG Protocol, ISO 14067, and PACT frameworks
Seamless transition to HowGood’s full carbon accounting platform
Visibility into material hot spots for efficient reduction planning
Beyond global averages
The Global Carbon Database delivers emission factors at the ingredient, product, and category level, giving you the right level of detail for your reporting needs.
With region-specific datasets, you can align your baselines to the geographies where your business operates rather than relying on generic global averages.
Audit-ready and aligned to industry reporting frameworks
Frequently asked questions
What is the Global Carbon Database (GCD)?
The GCD is a plug-and-play library of food-specific carbon emission factors. It provides thousands of ingredient, product, and category-level values that can be used for carbon accounting, regulatory reporting, and emissions reduction planning.
How is the Global Carbon Database different than other emission factor databases?
Unlike generic lifecycle databases, the GCD is designed specifically for food and agriculture. It includes realistic ingredient concentrations, processed foods, and geographically-sensitive data, offering far greater accuracy and relevance for food companies than global averages.
Which reporting standards does the GCD align with?
The GCD’s methodology is audit-ready and aligned with the GHG Protocol, ISO 14067, and the PACT framework. It also supports reporting to frameworks like CDP, SBTi, CSRD, and GRI.
Who should use the Global Carbon Database?
The GCD is ideal for food and beverage companies that need quick, credible carbon baselines but don’t have the time, budget, or resources for a fully customized footprinting solution. It’s also a fit for companies already using another carbon accounting platform but still seeking high-quality food-specific emission factors.
Can the GCD be tailored to my company’s needs?
Yes. Emission factors are available at the ingredient, product, and category level, with the option to regionalize datasets (e.g., EU-specific or US-specific values). This flexibility allows companies to align carbon baselines to their actual sourcing geographies. For supplier-specific emission factors, you may want to explore HowGood's full carbon accounting platform, Latis.
Is the GCD scalable if we want to go deeper later?
Absolutely. Because it shares the same Carbon Trust–verified methodology as HowGood’s full carbon accounting platform, Latis, you can start with the GCD and later expand into more detailed supply chain footprinting without having to re-baseline.
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Third-Party Validation
"Our customers need holistic, sustainable ingredient solutions to meet consumer and regulatory demands for greater transparency. Partnering with HowGood provides third-party validation of the sustainability impact of our ingredients and enables our customers to confidently make informed decisions.”
Actionability
"While our guests can make good food choices for the planet by simply eating at Chipotle, the radical transparency provided by Real Foodprint also holds us accountable to improve our practices and source more sustainably over time. It is the combination of transparency for our guests and Chipotle’s commitment to higher standards that make Real Foodprint so impactful.”
Data Granularity
"HowGood is, without a doubt, hands down, the most comprehensive database when it comes to ingredients. They own that space."
Reduction-Oriented
"Having an impact assessment tool for our product portfolio is raising the sustainability awareness of our product developers and brand teams. This holistic tool is critical to improving the sustainability impact of our brands.”
Cross Functional
"Before Latis, our sustainability efforts were very siloed. We would have one team focused on reporting, another team working on reduction, and our culinary teams working separately from them both on menu development. Now, when we're looking at our recipes, we're also looking at their sustainability ratings and their contributions to our carbon accounting all at once....this was the tool that brought everybody together."
Innovation
"HowGood has been a valuable partner for us in driving sustainable product innovation. Using Latis to assess the impact of our products in real time, speeds up product development and allows us to meet market demands for greater transparency.”