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ISO 14067 explained

ISO 14067:2018 is the international standard for quantifying a product carbon footprint. It tells you what to measure, where to draw the boundary, and how to report the result. This guide explains the standard in plain English, what your buyer actually expects, and how to publish a PCF aligned with ISO 14067 without paying for third-party certification.

What ISO 14067 actually requires

ISO 14067 defines a product carbon footprint (PCF) as the sum of greenhouse-gas emissions and removals attributable to a product across its life cycle, expressed in kg CO₂-equivalent per functional unit (e.g. per T-shirt, per kWh, per kg of cement).

It is built on the broader life cycle assessment standards ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 — same methodology, narrowed to one impact category (climate change).

The standard sets out six things you must document:

  1. Goal and scope — why the PCF exists and who it's for.
  2. Functional unit — what one unit of the product provides (e.g. "one 200 g cotton T-shirt").
  3. System boundary — which life-cycle stages are included.
  4. Inventory analysis — material and energy flows for each stage.
  5. Impact assessment — kg CO₂e using a recognised characterisation method (typically IPCC AR6 GWP100).
  6. Interpretation — data quality, assumptions, uncertainty.

Cradle-to-gate vs cradle-to-grave

The single biggest decision is the system boundary. Two choices dominate:

  • Cradle-to-gate — from raw material extraction to the factory gate. Excludes distribution, use phase and end-of-life. Covers 80% of B2B supplier PCF requests (CSRD value-chain disclosures, CDP supplier questionnaires, CBAM).
  • Cradle-to-grave — the full life cycle including transport to consumer, use and disposal. Required for environmental product declarations (EPDs), B2C labels, and Digital Product Passports.

If you don't know which one your buyer needs — ask. Most will say cradle-to-gate.

Emission factors: where the numbers come from

ISO 14067 requires that every emission factor used in the calculation is traceable, current, and appropriate for the geography and process. The standard does not mandate a specific database — what matters is that you cite your sources and that they are recognised. The most widely accepted include:

Carbon Calculator's product footprint tool uses DEFRA, EPA, ADEME, UBA, PlasticsEurope, worldsteel and IAI factors for the underlying materials, and surfaces the source for every line item — that is the audit trail your buyer needs.

Do you need to be certified?

Almost certainly not. ISO 14067 distinguishes between three levels of assurance:

  1. Self-declared — the manufacturer publishes a PCF aligned with the standard. No external party involved. This is what 90% of supplier questionnaires accept.
  2. Critical review — an independent reviewer checks the calculation. Typical for B2B claims used in marketing.
  3. Third-party verification — a certification body (TÜV, SGS, Bureau Veritas) audits the PCF. Required for EPDs, public claims about reductions, and some regulated programmes.

Verification costs £5,000–£50,000+ and takes weeks. Most SMEs answering a CDP request, a sustainability rating questionnaire, or a buyer's RFP do not need it — they need a clear, defensible self-declared PCF they can send by Friday.

How Carbon Calculator helps

Our product carbon footprint calculator follows ISO 14067 principles:

  • Explicit functional unit and boundary (cradle-to-gate in v1, cradle-to-grave coming).
  • Every emission factor cites publisher, version and URL.
  • The output PDF includes goal, scope, inventory and interpretation sections.
  • We use the phrase "aligned with ISO 14067 principles" — never "ISO 14067 certified" — because we are not a certification body. If you need third-party verification, the audit trail we generate is exactly what an auditor will ask for.

Start with the free Quick mode to estimate a product in 30 seconds, or request access to the ISO-aligned mode for SME suppliers.

Frequently asked questions

What is ISO 14067?
ISO 14067:2018 is the international standard for quantifying the carbon footprint of a product (PCF). It defines the principles, requirements and guidelines for measuring greenhouse-gas emissions across a product's life cycle, expressed in kg CO₂-equivalent per functional unit.
Do I need to be ISO 14067 certified to share a product carbon footprint?
No. Most buyers ask for a number aligned with ISO 14067 principles — they do not require a third-party verified certificate. A clear PDF stating the boundary, factor sources and calculation date is usually enough for CDP and supplier questionnaires.
What does cradle-to-gate mean?
Cradle-to-gate covers emissions from raw-material extraction through to the factory gate, before distribution to customers. It is the most common boundary for B2B supplier PCFs because it captures what the manufacturer controls.
How is ISO 14067 different from the GHG Protocol Product Standard?
Both define how to measure a product's GHG footprint and the two are largely compatible. ISO 14067 is the international standard; the WRI/WBCSD GHG Protocol Product Standard is the most widely used voluntary framework. Most software tools (including Carbon Calculator) reference both.
What does a PCF report need to contain?
At minimum: the product name and functional unit, the system boundary (e.g. cradle-to-gate), the result in kg CO₂e, a list of the emission factors used with sources and versions, allocation rules where they apply, the data-quality rating, and the calculation date.
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