PCFs & LCA
A life cycle assessment (LCA) quantifies a product’s environmental impact across its whole life under ISO 14040 and ISO 14044. A product carbon footprint (PCF) is the carbon-focused view of that work, under ISO 14067 and the GHG Protocol. Both start from the same rigorous data.
LCA or product carbon footprint
Life cycle assessment (LCA)
The full picture: your product’s impact across many environmental indicators, from greenhouse gases and energy to water, waste and resource use, under ISO 14040 and ISO 14044. Best when you want to understand and reduce impact, feed an EPD, or design a better product. Typical modelling time is 4 to 7 weeks once data is ready.
Product carbon footprint (PCF)
The carbon-focused view: total greenhouse gas emissions across the life cycle, under ISO 14067 and the GHG Protocol. Lighter and faster than a full LCA, and ready to feed buyer questionnaires, CBAM exposure and your clients’ Scope 3 reporting. Typically 3 to 4 weeks.
Industries we work across
Automotive & mobility
Components, battery systems and full vehicles.
Pharmaceuticals
Active ingredients, packaging and cold chain.
Consumer goods & packaging
Everyday products and their packaging.
Engineering & equipment
Industrial and heavy equipment.
Electronics & technology
Electrical and electronic products.
Data centres
Embodied and operational impact of IT hardware and facilities.
How we work
We follow the four ISO phases: goal and scope definition, life cycle inventory, life cycle impact assessment and interpretation. We prioritise primary data where it changes the result, use recognised life cycle inventory databases, and document every assumption so the study is defensible and repeatable. We report multiple impact categories, not carbon alone, so eco-design decisions are made on evidence.
Fits your ERP and supplier data
Most manufacturers already hold the raw data inside their systems. We structure LCA and PCF work to draw from ERP and PLM records, and we run supplier data collection for the Scope 3 inputs that dominate most footprints. That turns a one-off study into a repeatable capability, and cuts the cost of the next product.
From your data to a defensible result
Data collection
You provide the inputs and outputs for each life cycle stage through a simple template, under NDA.
Modelling
We model impacts to ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 using recognised life cycle inventory databases.
Interpretation
We identify hotspots, compare scenarios and pinpoint exactly where to reduce impact.
Verification & publication
Where you need it, we manage third-party verification and publication, for an EPD or a declared PCF.
Why Extended Producer Responsibility makes this urgent
EPR makes producers accountable for the full life of their products, including end of life. Regulators are beginning to tie fees to environmental performance, so a lower-impact design pays less. EPR turns life cycle data from a reporting task into a direct commercial and design signal.
LCA and PCF questions
What is the difference between an LCA and a product carbon footprint?+
An LCA measures a product’s impact across many environmental indicators, greenhouse gases, energy, water, waste and more, under ISO 14040 and ISO 14044. A PCF is the carbon-only view under ISO 14067, lighter and faster. Choose an LCA to understand and reduce full impact or to feed an EPD; choose a PCF when a buyer, CBAM or Scope 3 reporting just needs a credible carbon number.
How long does each take?+
Once your data is ready, a product carbon footprint typically takes 3 to 4 weeks and a full LCA 4 to 7 weeks, depending on product complexity and data quality.
What data do you need, and is it kept confidential?+
We need your bill of materials, energy and process data for each life cycle stage, collected through a simple template. Life cycle inventory data is commercially sensitive, so we sign a non-disclosure agreement before receiving anything.
Which industries can you assess?+
Any product with a supply chain. We work across automotive and mobility, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods and packaging, engineering and equipment, electronics and technology, and data centres.
Need a defensible carbon number?
We build LCAs and product carbon footprints your buyers will accept.
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