Product carbon footprints help manufacturers identify and reduce emissions, energy use and costs across product development and supply chains. tec4U-Solutions’ DataCross software captures real CO₂ data from suppliers, including Scope 3 emissions, enabling more accurate cradle-to-gate PCFs, clearer sustainability reporting and better-informed design decisions.
By creating and optimizing product carbon footprints, companies not only reduce their CO2 emissions but also lower their energy consumption. The established compliance software DataCross from sustainability provider tec4U-Solutions researches real CO2 values in the supply chain and creates PCFs according to industry standards. This allows the CO2 footprint of new product developments, and thus also the costs, to be significantly reduced as early as the development process.
Hardly any sustainability issue is currently of greater concern to manufacturers and distributors of products than the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) or CO2 footprint. The reasons for this are not only the reduction of greenhouse gases but also the reduction of energy consumption (CO2 equivalent value). At the latest, following the geopolitical developments of the past five years, business and politics have recognized that a production location is only economically viable and thus sustainable in the future if the resources necessary for manufacturing products are securely available. The CO2 footprint thus becomes a decisive product characteristic.
Reliable CO2 accounting through comprehensive SCOPE analysis
To collect the data needed to calculate a CO2 footprint and research actual emissions data in the supply chain, the CO2 module of the DataCross communication software from tec4U-Solutions offers comprehensive support for users. The basis is formed by direct emissions originating from the company’s own sources (Scope 1). These include, among other things, emissions resulting from the combustion of fossil fuels in the company’s own heating systems or power generation facilities. Emissions from the fuel consumption of the company’s own vehicle fleet are also included in the calculation, as these also account for a significant portion of a company’s direct emissions. In addition, indirect greenhouse gas emissions resulting from various external factors (Scope 2) are tracked. These indirect sources include, for example, the purchase of electricity and the provision of heat by external suppliers. All these data sources are necessary to obtain a complete picture of total greenhouse gas emissions and to create a precise carbon footprint for the entire company, known as the Corporate Carbon Footprint (CCF).
Optimized CO2 values reduce energy consumption and thus costs in the long term
The software determines the relevant consumption data based on existing information, such as invoices from energy providers, enabling a transparent and precise calculation of consumption values without the need for time-consuming manual data entry. One aspect that should not be underestimated, and which the software logic makes visible and thus continuously improvable, is the fact that high CO2 emissions are often associated with a particularly energy-intensive manufacturing process. Through the software, users receive data that helps them continuously optimize their energy costs, for example, by using more efficient machines or through process innovations. To communicate the achieved sustainability gains to all stakeholders in a simple and transparent manner, the module offers the ability to generate product-based CO2 certificates. These certificates not only provide a traceable and verifiable confirmation of CO2 reduction but also serve as a powerful communication tool.
The greatest potential for differentiation lies in the supply chain
To obtain a realistic and comprehensive CO2 value for products, it is necessary to consider not only direct emissions but also those generated in the upstream supply chain (Scope 3). Since these often represent the largest source of a product’s total greenhouse gas emissions and simultaneously hold the greatest potential for savings, they must be examined with particular care. In operational practice today, estimating greenhouse gas emissions in the supply chain mostly relies on standardized database values that provide general emission factors. However, this method has two major drawbacks: Standard values are often based on general assumptions, leading to a miscalculation of actual emission values, which in turn distorts the results and thus the strategies for emission reduction. Furthermore, by using the same database values, all companies essentially have the same basis for their calculations, making it impossible for them to differentiate themselves from other market participants and achieve genuine competitive advantages. Furthermore, most companies lack the necessary infrastructure, the appropriate processing and communication processes, as well as the required resources and capacity to retrieve, capture, and subsequently evaluate the data needed for a precise calculation. These challenges make it difficult to calculate PCFs accurately and in a differentiated manner and stand in the way of a comprehensive sustainability strategy. In addition to traditional Scope 1 & 2 emissions, the module therefore places a special focus on the complex and challenging Scope 3 Category 1 emissions.
Communicating Real CO2 Data with DataCross Software
As explained, the collection of realistic data is significant for creating a meaningful Product Carbon Footprint, as only this data reflects the actual CO2 emissions along a product’s upstream supply chain. With the CO2 module in DataCross, tec4U-Solutions has developed an extremely cost-effective and efficient module that enables users to accurately capture and retrieve CO2 data from suppliers. To reliably obtain the requested real CO2 data, it is crucial to achieve broad and sustained acceptance among suppliers. This requires that suppliers actively support the process and participate enthusiastically in the collection and provision of the necessary information. To promote this, tec4U-Solutions relies on the proven communication processes established in DataCross, which have been continuously optimized over the years. Another added benefit: all suppliers can use the core features of the software free of charge. This gives the requested suppliers the opportunity to calculate their own CCF as well as the actual PCF for the requested products, thereby contributing to more precise and sustainable CO2 accounting.
Smart system boundaries ensure industry standards in CO2 monitoring
The cradle-to-gate approach was used as the basis for the system boundaries in CO2 accounting. Here, the focus is on the period ranging from resource extraction to the point at which the product leaves the manufacturer’s factory gate. This approach offers several clear advantages. In particular, the underlying data can be determined easily and more realistically. Furthermore, it clearly identifies potential savings that lie directly within the manufacturer’s sphere of influence. If the module is implemented during the development process, it becomes possible to identify potential savings for every new product development, leverage them effectively, and thereby significantly reduce the PCF.
For more information, visit: co2-cloud.com/en
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