Product Carbon Footprint: A Guide to ISO 14067 Certification

In this article, we’ll explore what a Product Carbon Footprint (CFP) is, how it’s calculated according to the ISO 14067 standard, what the benefits are for companies, and how certification works. We’ll also explore how it differs from an EPD and its connection to the Digital Product Passport and the new European regulations against greenwashing.

Product Carbon Footprint (CFP): What It Is and What It’s Used For

The Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) is a calculation that quantifies the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated by a single product or service throughout its entire life cycle. It encompasses not only emissions from the production phase but also the overall climate impact of all phases: from raw material extraction to production, distribution, use, and final disposal.

It is also known as a product’s climate footprint, and its standard unit of measurement is CO₂ equivalent (CO₂eq).

ISO 14067: What Is This Technical Standard?

The UNI EN ISO 14067:2018 standard is the international technical reference standard for calculating a product’s carbon footprint; ISO 14067-3 describes the requirements and guidelines for obtaining certification. The standard meticulously defines the methodology for quantifying emissions associated with a product: definition of the system boundaries, functional unit, and data collection.

ISO 14067 does not stand alone but is part of a regulatory ecosystem. It is considered a specialized standard of ISO 14001 (Environmental Management System) and, since it addresses the life cycle, it builds upon the Life Cycle Assessment standards—ISO 14040 and ISO 14044—while maintaining a focus solely on greenhouse gas emissions. These are scientific and transparent standards, and for this very reason, they serve as concrete tools against greenwashing.

What are the benefits of the ISO 14067 product carbon footprint standard?

More and more companies are turning to product carbon footprint calculations—and, consequently, ISO 14067 certification. First and foremost, there is an increasingly concrete reason: ISO 14067 certification is often explicitly required by clients, international supply chains, public tenders, and private bids—especially when it is necessary to clearly and verifiably demonstrate a product’s climate impact. In many cases, it is no longer a voluntary differentiator but a requirement for market access.

In addition to this, the calculation offers three main advantages.

1) Differentiate the product

ISO 14067 certification offers a competitive advantage. In a market increasingly focused on sustainability, demonstrating a product’s environmental sustainability helps attract clients concerned about climate change. It is useful for those targeting consumers—the CFP allows companies to display a product’s CO₂ emissions on the label—but also for those operating in the B2B sector, as it helps them score points in procurement bids for public and private clients.

2) Reduces waste and costs

Calculating a product’s carbon footprint can lead to savings, because it helps identify waste in production and transportation. Reducing air freight, for example, encourages improved inventory management and thus lower costs; making machinery more energy-efficient reduces both the ecological footprint and energy expenses.

3) Protects against greenwashing

More and more companies are facing accusations of greenwashing, which often lead to lawsuits. ISO 14067 is an international standard certified by third-party auditors: reporting figures certified under ISO 14067 protects against this risk.

The new European directive against greenwashing (Empowering Consumers, EU 2024/825, effective September 27, 2026) also falls under this umbrella. Be aware, however, of a point that is often misunderstood: the directive does not require certifying a product’s carbon footprint according to ISO 14067. Rather, it prohibits presenting a product as “carbon neutral” or “zero-impact” solely on the basis of emissions offsetting (the purchase of carbon credits). To communicate a product’s climate neutrality in compliance with the directive, two elements are therefore required: a verified measurement of emissions—which ISO 14067 provides—and true neutrality, achieved according to the hierarchy set forth in ISO 14068 (first reduce, then offset only residual emissions). In other words, ISO 14067 is not mandated by the directive, but it is the tool that makes a product’s environmental claim robust and defensible.

ISO 14067 or EPD?

In some cases, clients make a general request for “the product’s environmental impact” without specifying whether they need to develop an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) or certify a Product Carbon Footprint in accordance with ISO 14067.

In these cases, ISO 14067 may be the most flexible solution, especially when there are no applicable Product Category Rules (PCR) for developing an EPD. Furthermore, unlike an EPD, ISO 14067 does not impose homogeneity requirements among products: while multi-product EPDs require that the variation among the included products be less than 10% across all environmental indicators, ISO 14067 allows any product in the portfolio to be certified independently, regardless of differences in composition or performance.

It can also serve as a first strategic step: it allows for a rapid response to market demands and, at the same time, helps build the data and methodological foundations needed to develop an EPD at a later stage.

How to Obtain ISO 14067 Certification

Obtaining ISO 14067 carbon footprint certification requires meticulous work: certifying a product’s carbon footprint is a complex process, and many companies choose to rely on expert consultants. Certification can only be issued followingan audit by an accredited body, which typically takes 1 or 2 months. The process is as follows:

• documentary analysis of the information and calculations related to the product carbon footprint (CFP);
• a physical audit and on-site inspection of the production facility to verify that the reported CO₂ emissions are accurate;
• Preparation of the final report and issuance of the ISO 14067:2018 certification verification certificate.

What Are the Steps Involved in Calculating a Product’s Carbon Footprint?

The calculation of the CFP in accordance with ISO 14067 follows a structured procedure:

• Definition of the Objective and Scope: The function of the product system and the boundaries of the product’s environmental footprint are determined.
• Data collection: Data is collected on the inputs to production processes—raw materials, energy, and auxiliary materials.
• Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Inventory: Data are validated, and emissions of CO₂ and other climate-altering gases are calculated.
• Critical analysis: The results are analyzed, and emission hotspots are identified. Energy consumption is almost always a significant source, so the emission factor per kWh of electricity used has a major impact.

Organizational and Product Carbon Footprints: What Are the Differences?

There are two main types of carbon footprints in a business context. The organizational carbon footprint (CFO) measures the total emissions generated by an organization and all its activities (reference standards: ISO 14064-1 and the GHG Protocol). The product carbon footprint, on the other hand, measures the emissions of a single product throughout its life cycle (standard: ISO 14067). The key difference, aside from the subject of the measurement, lies in the methodology: the PCF is based on the LCA approach, while the CFO is not.

Product Carbon Footprint and Digital Product Passport

Calculating a product’s carbon footprint is set to become increasingly important with the Digital Product Passport (DPP), introduced by the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). The DPP will make a product’s environmental information available in a structured format throughout its life cycle—including impacts, material composition, durability, reparability, and recyclability—and the carbon footprint will most likely be among the most relevant data points from the outset.

This is no longer a distant prospect. The first ESPR Work Plan (April 2025) has already identified the priority categories— textiles, furniture, tires, iron and steel, and aluminum —and the requirements will be phased in through delegated acts: companies will have 18 months to comply with each act, with the first obligations expected between 2027 and 2028.

In addition to the sectors listed in the ESPR, the DPP requirement also applies to the battery sector, as does the requirement to calculate the carbon footprint of batteries. For more information on this topic, read the article on the Battery DPP.

Calculating the carbon footprint of one’s products today, therefore, means not only obtaining certification or improving environmental communication, but also building the database right away to prepare for future Digital Passport requirements.

CFP and LCA: What’s the Difference?

A product’s carbon footprint reflectsits climate impact (greenhouse gas emissions) throughout all stages of its life cycle. When we talk about the life cycle, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) comes to mind: however, LCA measures the overall environmental impact “from cradle to grave,” including all parameters—water and soil pollution, resource consumption, and so on.

The CFP, on the other hand, focuses on a single category of impact: global warming (GHG emissions). The Product Carbon Footprint can therefore be thought of as a subset of the LCA.

Systematic Approach to Carbon Footprint (CFP SA)

When a company needs to calculate the carbon footprint of multiple similar products, ISO 14067 provides for the option of adopting a Carbon Footprint Systematic Approach (CFP SA): a structured set of procedures, rules, data, and controls that allows for the consistent and repeatable quantification of the carbon footprint of multiple products from the same organization.

The CFP SA can be verified by a third-party organization: what is certified is not the individual calculation, but the system of procedures that governs them. Once validated, it allows for more efficient management of the carbon footprint calculations for products falling within its scope, speeding up the verification of each individual study. The scope, however, must be carefully defined: it typically covers similar products that belong to the same category, share the same production process and site, and have CFP variations within defined limits.

This solution is particularly useful for those who have many comparable products to analyze. Implementing it requires technical expertise, robust documentation, internal procedures, and periodic checks—often involving spot checks on the developed CFPs—and this is where the support of an expert consultant can make all the difference, both in designing the approach and in liaising with the certification body.

LCA Tool for Product Carbon Footprint

In addition to the CFP Systematic Approach, companies can implement a customized LCA Tool to make the calculation of a product’s Carbon Footprint faster and more scalable. Normally, this tool is used to streamline LCA calculations and EPD certification, but it can be adapted to calculate the CFP alone: a digital calculation tool, custom-built based on products, processes, available data, and operational needs.

Ollum has developed an LCA Tool platform that allows users to easily update input data—materials, energy consumption, transportation, packaging, and production yields—and quickly calculate the carbon footprint of their products. It is particularly useful for companies with many product variants, extensive product lines, or a frequent need to update results.

The first step toward reducing emissions

Calculating the carbon footprint—whether of a product or an organization—is the starting point for any decarbonization strategy. Only by knowing precisely where and how much emissions occur is it possible to identify critical areas, set realistic goals, and develop an effective reduction plan. Without this quantitative foundation, any climate commitment risks remaining nothing more than a statement of intent.

If you’d like to learn more about reducing emissions: Science-Based Targets Initiative: what is it and how to set SBTi targets?

How can we support you?

The product carbon footprint (ISO 14067) allows companies to measure greenhouse gas emissions throughout a product’s entire life cycle, differentiate themselves in the market, reduce waste and costs, and protect themselves from the risk of greenwashing. The calculation requires a rigorous methodology and is part of a broader regulatory framework, which includes ISO 14040/14044 for the LCA approach and ISO 14064 for the organizational carbon footprint.

Ollum helps companies obtain certification for their product carbon footprint in accordance with ISO 14067, certification for their organizational carbon footprint in accordance with ISO 14064, and develop a decarbonization plan based on real data.