Product carbon footprint helps enable a net zero future.

To reach the goals of the Paris Agreement, we all must progress forward on this journey to net zero.

The journey is not a straight line, and today, companies are at different points with different pathways to progress.

This guide summarizes common steps along the journey with links to resources that can support you, wherever you are in the process.

Starting

Advanced

Starting

Advanced

Let’s start with the basics.

Q
What is climate change?
A

Climate impact refers to the effect of human activities on the Earth’s climate system, primarily through the release of greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O).

Q
What are the risks posed by climate change?
A

Climate change poses significant risks to ecosystems, communities, and economies worldwide, including extreme weather events, sea-level rise, and disruptions to agriculture and water resources.

Q
What is a carbon footprint?
A

A carbon footprint measures the total amount of GHG emissions, usually expressed in CO2-equivalents, associated with a particular activity, organization, product, or individual.

Q
Why does it matter?
A

Reducing GHG emissions and improving climate impact is important for companies to prepare for the future, as well as drive value creation. Consider potential cost savings from energy efficiency and waste reduction; the ability to better manage risks from regulatory changes or supply chain disruptions; and potential for innovation and new market opportunities; in addition to stakeholder engagement and trust.

See also...

TfS YouTube Channel
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TfS PCF Guideline
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Starting

Advanced

Engage your stakeholders

Identify who you need to help manage and measure climate impacts.

Collaboration may include your operations team, engineers, HSE, sustainability, or others.

Engage internal stakeholders by highlighting the risks and opportunities associated with climate change and benefits of reducing GHG emissions.

Starting

Advanced

Measure your company’s GHG emissions

Scope
1
+
Scope
2
+
Scope
3

Conduct a GHG emissions inventory across Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 using established methodologies like the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.

This may mean working cross-functionally in the company, and you might need an external specialist to help. Explore the diagram below by clicking on the headings of each of the Scope 1, 2 or 3 emissions:

Scope 1

Direct GHG emissions that occur from sources that are owned or controlled by the reporting organization, such as emissions from the combustion of fuels in onsite equipment (boilers, furnaces, vehicles), emissions from chemical processes, and fugitive emissions (e.g., leaks) from equipment.

Scope 2

Indirect GHG emissions associated with the generation of electricity, heat, or steam purchased or consumed by the reporting organization, such as electricity from a local utility.

Scope 3

Indirect GHG emissions that occur in the value chain, including both upstream and downstream activities. These emissions can come from purchased goods and services, transportation and distribution, or use of sold products, for example, and are defined by “categories.” Scope 3 emissions from the value chain are challenging, and you’ll want to identify the most important impacts.

See also...

GHG Protocol
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What are Scope 3 Emissions?
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What are Scope 1 & 2 Emissions?
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Overview of Training Material
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Starting

Advanced

Look at the product level

While Scope 1, 2, and 3 applies emissions data to a company, product carbon footprint converts emissions data into a unit of a specific physical product, telling us the GHG emissions that went into the product from start to finish, with the boundaries clearly noted.

TfS PCF Guideline

The TfS PCF guideline provides specific calculation instructions for “cradle-to-gate” PCFs for chemical manufacturers. It harmonizes PCF calculation approaches across the industry and is applicable to the vast majority of chemical products.

If you are not a chemical manufacturer, you may still use the TfS PCF Guideline, for example, for chemical products you purchase. For some industries, like logistics, you may provide inputs into chemical PCFs or other emissions inventories for your customers.

learn more

See also...

TfS PCF Guideline in multiple languages
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Learn about TfS PCF Guideline and how to calculate PCFs
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Learn more about the value chain
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The chemical value chain includes various industries. Consider consulting your industry’s guidance or ask for help from a specialist.

  • Energy & Feedstock
  • Conversion and refining
  • Basic chemicals
  • Specialty chemicals
  • Distribution and logistics
  • Consumer goods and industrial products
  • Retail and end market products

Starting

Advanced

Verify your PCF data

This is a helpful step to improve the quality of your PCF data.

Verification can be done in different ways:

1st party

Internally by an expert

2nd party

An expert at the company receiving the PCF

3rd party

Independent verification by a third party against the requirements of the TfS PCF Guideline

See also...

Overview of Training Material
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Starting

Advanced

Enter your PCF data into the TfS Data Exchange Solution

TfS offers an IT solution for inputting your PCF data according to the TfS PCF Guideline and sharing it with your selected business partners.

See also...

TfS PCF Data Exchange
Solution flyer
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The TfS PCF Data
Exchange Solution
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User Guides –
Requesting a PCF
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User Guides –
Responding to a PCF request
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Siemens –
“How can we help?”
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SiGreen –
Knowledge base
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PCF Exchange solution –
Supplier FAQ
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Starting

Advanced

Share PCF data with your customers

The TfS PCF Guideline is supported by a data model and aligned to the WBCSD PACT initiative, which provides technical guidance on sharing data in an efficient manner.

If you have a software or cloud solution, consider integrating PACT requirements to enable data sharing across the value chain.

See also...

Data model
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WBCSD Technical
Specifications for PCF
Data Exchange
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Partnership for Carbon
Transparency (PACT)
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Those are steps to get started. Now for the more advanced steps...

Decarbonization

Beyond measuring and sharing emissions data, it’s important to consider reduction opportunities to help us reach the goal of a net zero future.

No matter where you are on the data journey, you can start taking actions to reduce emissions.

Starting

Advanced

Identify emissions reduction pathways and set targets for your own operations

Utilize data from Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions to identify hotspots and opportunities for emissions reductions within your organization.

Consider your energy efficiency, source of fuel or electricity, and what happens day to day in your facilities.

Evaluate the feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and potential impact of different emissions reduction measures, considering factors such as technical feasibility, financial implications, and alignment with business objective.

See also...

US Department of Energy Pathway
to Industrial Decarbonization
Commercial Liftoff
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Mastering Emissions
Reductions
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Starting

Advanced

Analyze your supply chain emissions

Your impact extends beyond your operations.

Assess your scope 3 emissions and identify emissions hot spots in the supply chain, such as emissions from key suppliers, high impact emissions categories, or from specific material inputs or processes.
Analyze your leverage over suppliers, in terms of influence or control, like contractual mechanisms, and the ability to make an impact, such as opportunities for lower carbon alternatives. This analysis is important for prioritizing and determining specific actions on decarbonization.

Starting

Advanced

Set a science-based target

Familiarize yourself with the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and its criteria for setting emissions reduction targets in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Assess your organization’s climate impact and ability to reduce emissions.
Then set ambitious and credible targets consistent with limiting global warming to well below 2°C or 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

See also...

Introduction to
Target Setting
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Climate Target
Setting
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Starting

Advanced

Integrate decarbonization
into your supply chain

Based on your supply chain emissions analysis, decide how to flow down decarbonization actions to your suppliers, considering your available leverage.

Develop a supplier engagement strategy, and embed sustainability into your procurement process:

Contractual
requirements

Due
diligence

Incentive
programs

Lower carbon
alternatives

Be sure to evaluate relevant commercial and economic issues in the short and long-term and link back to your climate transition strategy.

See also...

TfS Supplier Engagement Handbook
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Make a difference

Every action you take can contribute to a more sustainable future.

Embrace the challenge, seize the opportunities, and help lead the way to net zero.

Visit the TfS website and the TfS Academy for more resources.