+44 (0)7909 573711
matt@fishwickenvironmental.com
@matthewfishwick
Product carbon footprinting
Product carbon footprinting is the process of quantifying the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the life cycle of a product (i.e. a good or service). This involves setting a boundary for the extent of assessment, collecting data for processes and activities within this boundary, calculating associated GHG emissions and reporting the carbon footprint to stakeholders.
Benefits
- Provides a detailed understanding of the GHG impacts associated with upstream and downstream supply chain;
- Identifies areas of most significant impact (i.e. the ‘hotspots’) where reduction initiatives can be most effective;
- Evaluates alternative product configurations, manufacturing methods, raw material choices and supplier selection; and
- Satisfies requests from downstream supply chain.
Service offered
- PAS 2050 compliant;
- GHG Protocol compliant (Product);
- Reviewing/auditing;
- Streamlined product carbon footprint; and
- Tool development.
Benefits
- Provides a detailed understanding of the water consumption impacts associated with upstream and downstream supply chain;
- Identifies areas of most significant impact (i.e. the ‘hotspots’) where reduction initiatives can be most effective;
- Evaluates alternative product configurations, manufacturing methods, raw material choices and supplier selection; and
- Satisfies requests from downstream supply chain.
Service offered
- ISO 14046 compliant;
- Global Water Footprinting Standard compliant;
- Reviewing/auditing;
- Streamlined product carbon footprint; and
- Tool development.
Life cycle assessment (LCA)
Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a method used to quantify the environmental impact associated with a product over its entire lifecycle. It differs from product carbon footprinting in that it quantifies multiple environmental categories, for example, resource depletion, ecotoxicity, ozone layer depletion and acidification. Social impacts can also be considered within an LCA, such as child labour, discrimination and cultural heritage.
Benefits
- Provides a detailed understanding of the environmental and social impacts associated with upstream and downstream supply chain;
- Allows for a broader scope of assessment in comparison to product carbon footprinting, considering many environmental and social impacts;
- Identifies areas of most significant impact (i.e. the ‘hotspots’) where reduction initiatives can be most effective;
- By assessing multiple impact categories, a holistic view can be taken in regards to impact reduction, avoiding ‘burden-shift’;
- Evaluates alternative product configurations, manufacturing methods, raw material choices and supplier selection; and
- Satisfies requests from downstream supply chain.
Service offered
- ISO 14044 compliant LCA;
- Social LCA;
- Reviewing/auditing;
- Streamlined LCA;
- Tool development; and
- Environmental product declaration (EPD).
Organisational carbon footprinting
Corporate or organisational carbon footprinting is the process of quantifying the GHG emissions associated with the operation of a business. The process first involves defining the organisational boundary (i.e. which process and activities are considered to be part of the organisation), collecting data on these processes and activities, calculating the GHG inventory and reporting the carbon footprint. The scope of assessment usually includes direct (scope 1) and energy indirect (scope 2) GHG emissions and removals. However, increasingly, businesses are looking to widen the scope of assessment to include impacts from the supply chain (scope 3).
Benefits
- Helps a business identify areas of significant impact, allowing them to focus efforts of reduction appropriately;
- Useful for monitoring progress towards carbon reduction targets by comparing year-on-year carbon footprint results; and
- Satisfies requests from downstream supply chain.
Service offered
- ISO 14064 compliant (scope 1 and 3 or scopes 1, 2 and 3);
- GHG Protocol compliant (Corporate and Scope 3);
- Reviewing/auditing;
- Streamlined organisational carbon footprinting;
- Tool development; and
- Science based targets (SBT).