Product Carbon Footprint Verification & Life Cycle Assessment Critical Review

Organizations face a myriad of challenges related to sustainability, environmental protection, and climate change. Addressing these issues necessitates a comprehensive understanding of a product's environmental impact, from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal. 

This is where Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) come in. PCF and LCA help companies navigate through the complexities that come with their product lifecycle management. A conformity assessment such as PCF verification and LCA critical review provides companies with impartial third-party assurance.

What is PRODUCT CARBON FOOTPRINT VERIFICATION?

Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) is a technique used to calculate, manage, and communicate greenhouse gas emissions associated with the life cycle of products or services. Based on the ISO 14067 standard, the PCF analysis produces a total GHG emission value, expressed in CO₂-equivalents, that corresponds to a specified unit of product or service.

PCF verification is an essential process in the circular economy, ensuring the accuracy of primary data used in calculating what is the carbon footprint of a product or service. This process involves both on-site and on-desk assessments to confirm the truthfulness of a study's CO₂-footprint claim. Through this methodology, companies can confidently communicate their products’ environmental impact and make informed decisions to improve their sustainability efforts. Click here to find out more about our verification mark for Product Carbon Footprint.

What is LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT critical review?

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a method for calculating, managing, and communicating the environmental impacts associated with the life cycle of products or services. Based on ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards, LCA examines the effects of a product or service on various impact categories, providing an overview of the environmental consequences linked to a defined functional unit of a product or service.

A critical review of LCA focuses on evaluating the methodology and the LCA report through an on-desk assessment. This review process aims to determine whether the LCA study conforms to ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards unambiguously. By verifying the LCA's adherence to these standards, companies can ensure the accuracy and reliability of their environmental impact assessments.

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WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRODUCT CARBON FOOTPRINT VERIFICATION AND LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT critical REVIEW? 

While Product Carbon Footprint and Life Cycle Assessment are often interchanged, they have slightly different goals. 

BENEFITS OF LCA critical review / pcf verification

Create trust and value on your sustainability claims
Avoid being accused of “greenwashing" and reduce the risk of untrue claims by having extensive checks performed by an impartial third-party.

Compliant and meet global sustainability goals
Growing regulations require companies to measure and report their environmental impact, making overarching sustainability efforts crucial.

Building credibility
Enhance market reputation and reassure stakeholders by providing assurance that the results of their carbon footprint calculation for goods or services are trustworthy.

Boosting environmental sustainability without compromising core IP
OEMs and brands that wish to boost their market reputation and product differentiation through environmental sustainability claims can influence upstream supply chains to make accurate and reliable product emission data available.

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Process of LCA critical review & PCF verification project  

Get in touch today. Our global network of labs and experts combining with these circular economy principles can help your organisation with the requirements and available standards and schemes for different industries.