Verification of Product Carbon Footprint
Recognized proof of your sustainability activities
Greater transparency and credibility
Reliable reporting for interested parties
Strengthening of your competitiveness
What is a product-related greenhouse gas balance?
The preparation of a product-related greenhouse gas balance enables companies, governments and consumers to evaluate and compare their impact on the climate. It helps to raise awareness of climate change and to take targeted action to reduce emissions.
What is the ISO 14067 standard about?
For whom is the verification of the PCF according to ISO 14067 suitable?
- Environmental responsibilityCompanies that are aware of their environmental impact have their product footprint determined and verified by an external body. This provides them with a sound basis for targeted environmental measures. Verification thus makes a significant contribution to improving their image.
- Customer requirementsMore and more customers and consumers are attaching importance to sustainable products and services. PCF verification enables companies to communicate their environmental performance transparently and demonstrate the sustainability of their products. This can lead to a competitive advantage.
- Regulatory complianceSome countries already have legislation or plans that require companies to quantify and report their environmental impacts. ISO14067 verification can help meet these requirements and minimize regulatory risks.
- Sustainability ReportingVerification by an external third party provides companies with a solid basis for sustainability reporting. By disclosing and verifying operational environmental impacts, you can make your performance transparent and comparable.
- Promoting innovationVerification according to ISO 14067 requires figures, data and facts. A detailed analysis and assessment of your own environmental impacts can lead to the optimization and redesign of processes and the use of more efficient technologies to reduce emissions. Examples are the use of renewable energies or the reduction of waste.
What are the benefits of ISO 14067 verification?
- Credibility and transparencyA verified carbon footprint calculation shows that your company takes product emissions seriously and is committed to transparency and sustainability. This strengthens your company's credibility with customers, investors and other stakeholders.
- Competitive advantageIn an increasingly sustainability-conscious world, companies with a verified carbon footprint can stand out as leaders and role models in their industry.
- Risk managementVerification according to ISO 14067 gives your company a better understanding of its emission profiles along the life cycle of a product. This enables the targeted identification of hotspots and weak points, which in turn leads to more effective risk management.
- Customer engagement and market demandMore and more consumers value sustainable products and services. A verified GHG product footprint strengthens the trust of your customers and partners and leads to higher customer loyalty. It creates the basis for environmentally conscious purchasing decisions.
- Regulatory requirementsIn some countries or industries, specific regulations or incentives already exist regarding GHG emissions disclosure and reduction. Verification can ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
- Supply chain managementCompanies looking to make their supply chain more sustainable can also benefit. By assessing emissions from external providers, you can determine your own PCF and take action to reduce emissions throughout the value chain.
What are the prerequisites for verification?
- Accuracy of dataIn order to verify the CF of products, reliable data must be collected along the value chain. This includes information on raw material extraction, production, transport, use and disposal. In addition, recognized publications and life cycle assessment databases can be used here.
- Uniform methodologyVerification requires the use of a uniform methodology for calculation. In addition to the ISO 14067 Carbon Footprint Standard, there is also the Greenhouse Gas Protocol's Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard, which can be used as a recognized reference for preparing the product-related greenhouse gas balance.
- CompletenessThe accounting should ensure that all relevant emissions are included in the PCF. This includes direct as well as indirect emissions along the defined and thus considered life cycle stage, also called "scope".
ISO 14064 vs. ISO 14067 - the series of standards
The three-part series of standards ISO 14064-1, -2 and -3 covers a broader range of applications. It focuses on the measurement, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions at the organizational and project levels.
Other standards from the ISO 14001 seriesIf, in addition to the impact on climate change, you also want to consider and balance other impact categories of your products, such as the primary energy demand of your products, water consumption or land use, a life cycle assessment ( LCA ) is suitable for this purpose. However, this is more comprehensive than a GHG product balance and is well suited for the next step.
Support and methodological guidelines are provided by other standards from the international series of standards on environmental management: ISO 14040 and ISO 14044. A critical review of the life cycle assessment by DQS, as with a PCF verification, allows you to score points with your stakeholders and meet future requirements of your interested parties in advance.
What is the process of an ISO 14067 verification?
As an independent and accredited certifier, DQS offers the possibility to verify and confirm your accounting and reporting. This verification provides you with an official confirmation of your measurements and an assessment of compliance with the standard requirements.
In the first step, we want to learn about your company, your organization, your needs and expectations. Once the objectives of the verification, including the applicable standards and specifications, are defined, you will receive a quote for the pre-assessment.
The contracted verification team checks the respective statement on the basis of the previously prepared plan, applying the applicable standards and specifications. Among other things, evidence is collected and checked, sites are visited if necessary, and estimates and calculations are reconstructed and analyzed.
If necessary, a document check in advance supplements the verification. Identified deficiencies must be demonstrably corrected before a verification declaration and an expert opinion are issued for the products under consideration. The verification result including all findings will be presented to you during the final meeting. If necessary, action plans will be agreed upon.
After verification, the results are evaluated by the independent certification body of DQS. If all requirements are met, you will receive a verification statement for the corresponding products or services. The verification statement is valid for the respective GHG declaration of your product and thus has no defined validity period.
For the verification of an updated report or declaration, for example in case of changes in service processes, manufacturing methods or material composition of components, a re-verification can be performed.