Product Carbon Footprint

Through cradle-to-gate product carbon footprint (PCF) data, customers of BASF dispersions and construction additives have full transparency into greenhouse gas emissions for our entire portfolio of coatings, adhesives, and fiber-bonding and construction materials.  Our PCF calculation is TÜV certified and follows ISO 14067 along with the Together for Sustainability methodology.

Cradle-to-gate PCF   

BASF's PCF data represents a cradle-to-gate product carbon footprint: it comprises all product-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that occur until a BASF product leaves the factory gate, from the purchased raw material to the use of energy in production processes. To be specific, we differentiate between Scope 1 (BASF´s emissions), Scope 2 (purchased energy), and Scope 3 upstream (emissions by suppliers and generation of raw materials)*. The PCF is provided in kilos of carbon dioxide equivalents** per kilo of product (kg CO₂eq/kg); our PCF data is updated regularly, at least once a year.

*These categories follow the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, a widely recognized standard for measuring and managing greenhouse gas emissions. 

**Other greenhouse gases are converted into CO₂ equivalents according to the GHG Protocol.

Standards and certification   

The method is aligned with the calculation rules of the Together for Sustainability (TfS) guideline, the chemical industry's standard for calculating product carbon footprint values. At the same time, the BASF method follows the relevant PCF standard ISO 14067:2018. Both the methodology and the digital solution have been certified by TÜV Rheinland. 

Towards net zero: how to reduce your carbon footprint    

As part of the European Green Deal, the European Commission aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the EU to zero by 2050. The involved policies and reporting regulations lead to carbon accounting becoming an essential tool for many market players. At BASF, calculating the carbon footprint of our sales products provides us with an important starting point to reduce emissions and achieve our goal of CO₂ neutrality by 2050***.  

Our customers benefit by receiving reliable, high-quality PCF data that they can incorporate into their carbon accounting activities. As a next step, BASF products can help reduce GHG emissions, e.g., by switching to renewable raw materials via the biomass balance approach.  

***Scope 1 (BASF operations), Scope 2 (purchased energy), and Scope 3.1 emissions (purchased goods and services).

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