Carbon Footprint certification

Carbon Footprint: what it is and how it is measured

The Carbon Footprint of products is the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) that are generated in each phase of the product lifecycle (from the extraction of raw materials to the eventual abandonment of the product).

Currently, there are several general and sector-specific standards, references and guides to calculate the carbon footprint of products promoted by different public and private institutions. For example, PAS 2050, GHG Protocol, ISO 14067, International Wine Protocol etc.

This third-party certification of calculated greenhouse gas emissions of a product is the first move towards developing subsequent verifications with a greater environmental benefit, such as reducing (through reduction projects) or offsetting emissions (which also leads indirectly to reductions through projects that offset emissions).

Measuring the Carbon Footprint of Companies

There are four types of product/service verifications for measuring the Carbon Footprint:

• Calculated CO2: confirms the reliability of the calculation of the carbon footprint of a product/service, defined as the total greenhouse gas emission (GHG) that a product/service generates during its entire lifecycle.
  
• Reduced CO2: the organisation must demonstrate that its product/service has been reduced from the previous year and its right of use is granted on an annual basis.
  
• Offset CO2: The emissions offset by carbon sinks are calculated and subtracted from the emissions of the carbon footprint of the product/service.
  
• Carbon Neutral: the carbon footprint is calculated based on internationally applicable specifications, and the reduction of emissions is achieved through a target-driven carbon management plan. Excess emissions are offset through verified offsetting mechanisms. In this case, the reference currently in force is Standard PAS 2060:2014 (ISO standard in development).