In 2024 PSC announced our partnership with HowGood, an independent research & software company with the world’s largest database on food product sustainability.
This year we are happy to announce our continued partnership and new PSC membership benefit through HowGood, a Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) report.
What is a Product Carbon Footprint?
A Product Carbon Footprint measures the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated during the entire life cycle of a product. Now included as a project offering in PSC’s membership benefits is the opportunity to create a Product Carbon Footprint report through HowGood.
HowGood’s platform measures the carbon footprint of an individual product for its entire life cycle, from on-farm through processing, transportation, manufacturing, product use and disposal. HowGood’s Carbon Footprint metrics at each stage of the carbon life cycle have been designed to guide companies on the GHG impacts of their product.
HowGood’s PCF methodology is certified by the Carbon Trust, aligned to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, and its Scope 3 is built using the Hybrid Data Method. This ensures that the outputs reflect the latest available agricultural impact data, avoiding broad generalizations.
Included in the HowGood PCF Report:
- See the carbon footprint of your product across all stages of the product life cycle, from cradle-to-grave (depending on the data granularity provided).
- See the Forests, Land, and Agriculture (FLAG) emissions broken down at the product level. The FLAG sector is a large source of emissions. According to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) it represents 22% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – the third highest emitting sector after energy and industry.
- Gain an audit-ready, actionable, PCF report certified by the Carbon Trust and drive the benefits listed below.
Benefits of a HowGood Product Carbon Footprint Report
- Identify Carbon Hotspots: Pinpoint emission-intensive stages in your product lifecycle to focus your sustainability efforts where they matter most.
- Enhance Customer Engagement: Use verified carbon footprint data to strengthen your sustainability messaging, boost sales and marketing efforts, and win over environmentally conscious consumers.
- Drive Sales & Loyalty: Consumers are demanding sustainable products—and are willing to pay more for them. Transparency builds trust and customer loyalty.
How Does a PCF Differ from a Life Cycle Assessment?
While both tools evaluate a product’s environmental impact, they differ significantly in scope. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a comprehensive analysis of a product’s entire lifecycle, quantifying environmental effects. In contrast, a PCF is a more focused subset of an LCA that measures only a product’s (GHG) emissions.
With this new project offering from PSC & HowGood, members can now choose a product to generate a PCF report. Sustainability teams will be better informed on product impact and can use this information to take action to reduce risk, guide your sustainability strategy and lead your category.
Want to Get Started?
Reach out to the PSC team at membersupport@petsustainability.org for questions about membership or to learn more about our PCF report project.