SUSTAINABILITY QUICK GUIDE
Understanding Product Carbon Footprints
What is a Product Carbon Footprint (PCF)?
A Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) measures the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with a product throughout its lifecycle. This typically includes:
- Raw material sourcing: Emissions from growing, harvesting, or extracting ingredients.
- Processing & Manufacturing: Energy used to produce the final product.
- Packaging & Distribution: Emissions from materials, storage, and transport.
- Consumer Use & Disposal: The footprint related to cooking, refrigeration, or waste management.
A PCF specifically focuses on carbon emissions, expressed in kg CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent).
Why Do Product Carbon Footprints Matter in Food Supply Chains?
Customer & Regulatory Requirements: Many food brands need PCF data for sustainability reporting, emissions tracking, and compliance with standards like the GHG Protocol and SBTi.
Market Competitiveness: Understanding and reducing a product’s carbon footprint can help suppliers differentiate their products and meet buyer expectations for maturity in reporting.
Operational Efficiency: Identifying high-impact areas in sourcing, manufacturing, and distribution can lead to cost-saving sustainability strategies.
Market Competitiveness: Understanding and reducing a product’s carbon footprint can help suppliers differentiate their products and meet buyer expectations for maturity in reporting.
Operational Efficiency: Identifying high-impact areas in sourcing, manufacturing, and distribution can lead to cost-saving sustainability strategies.
How to Read a Product Carbon Footprint
- Total Footprint (kg CO2e per unit): Shows the overall climate impact of a product.
- Breakdown by Lifecycle Stage: Helps identify emissions hotspots (e.g., ingredient sourcing vs. processing).
- Comparison to Benchmarks: Allows companies to measure their footprint against industry averages or alternative formulations.
Example: A 1 kg serving of a product may have a footprint of 2.5 kg CO2e, with:
- 60% from ingredient sourcing
- 25% from processing & manufacturing
- 15% from distribution & packaging
How Does This Relate to SupplierConnect & HowGood
- SupplierConnect automatically calculates PCFs based on basic product data (ie, ingredients, sourcing, and processing details).
- No manual emissions data required: Suppliers don’t need to conduct independent LCAs; HowGood’s Latis platform generates PCFs using the industry’s largest sustainability database.
- Supports customer transparency: Food companies use PCF data to track Scope 3 emissions and drive emissions reduction strategies.
Go Deeper on Product Carbon Footprints
Learn more about HowGood's approach to PCFs vs. LCAs
Explore the Future of Holistic Product Footprint Automation
The HowGood team is always available to provide further information and resources. Reach out to us at any time.