ISCC Carbon Footprint Certification (CFC)
The ISCC Carbon Footprint Certification (CFC) is a voluntary certification scheme that verifies the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions linked to a product. It focuses on a product’s impact on climate change, referring to the Global Warming Potential (GWP) in grams, kilograms or tons of CO2 equivalent (CO2e).
Our goal is to make carbon footprint reporting clear and consistent through a simple, understandable and cross-standard approach. We support innovative solutions that help lower emissions, including carbon capture and storage (CCS), carbon capture and utilisation (CCU), the use of renewable energy, closed-loop systems that recycle materials and optimised production processes.
Benefits of ISCC CFC
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Basics of Carbon Footprinting
One Approach That Fits All
With ISCC CFC, we can certify the PCF of virtually any product and its production process. The certification considers the product carbon footprint (PCF) of a defined product – not just emission reductions or sustainable feedstocks.
Supporting Mitigation Technologies
We provide detailed individual-specific approaches for technologies such as CCS, CCU, and renewable energy, including modelling standardisation for these technologies. All subsequent products produced with the same technology must follow the defined approaches – ensuring consistency and transparency.
Flexible and Open Approach
As a voluntary certification scheme, ISCC CFC welcomes a variety of products to be certified under this scheme. This allows for an adaptable, product-specific assessment that reflects the actual emissions of each individual case, encouraging transparency, improvement, and innovation.
No Benchmarking, Just Transparency
ISCC CFC is designed to calculate a precise and reliable PCF. Benchmarks or reference values are not included under ISCC CFC. This ensures a focus on accurate, product-specific data and its emissions.
Mitigation: Technological Specialties under ISCC CFC
Since 2023, we have conducted, supervised, and jointly developed case studies with the goal of setting up transparent, reproducible, and comprehensible PCF models. These pilots also serve to establish a certain standard for the initial products being certified under ISCC CFC – ensuring greater comparability of the PCFs.
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
CCS is the permanent storage of CO₂ in a geological site to prevent the release of large amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere. Under ISCC CFC, companies can use CCS to minimise the carbon emissions of fossil-based products and therefore supply a more environmentally friendly product. We provide guidelines for the certification of CCS under ISCC CFC and the accounting of CCS credits generated for the permanent storage of CO₂.
Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU)
CCU refers to technologies and processes that capture CO₂ emissions from industrial sources or directly from the atmosphere and convert them into valuable products or energy sources. Under ISCC CFC, benefits from CCU activities can be integrated into PCF calculations. This includes the captured CO₂ from processes that previously emitted it, as well as the PCF of products produced from captured CO₂. We provide guidelines for the certification of PCFs for CCU-based products under ISCC CFC.
Silicon Metal Produced with Renewable Energies
Silicon is an important raw material for many applications in different industrial sectors. Depending on the specific process set-up as well as the type of reducing agents (such as the use of fossil or biogenic carbon) or electricity sources used, the PCF of a silicon product can vary significantly. Thus, we provide specific requirements for calculating, verifying, and communicating GHG emissions associated with silicon metal production.
Pilots and Certification Possibility
The ISCC CFC and its corresponding guidance (e.g., audit procedures, auditor training, and accreditation) are expected to be fully applied by system users without pilot projects for published methodologies by end of 2025.
A participation in the ISCC CFC training and successful passing the test are needed for ISCC CFC audits. Until then (and afterwards for new approaches), pilot audits will be conducted by Certification Bodies, with which we closely collaborate to test the developed approaches in practice.
Acceptance of Other Schemes
ISCC CFC is an independent certification scheme. A combination of ISCC PLUS and ISCC CFC is currently under development.
Further Information
ISCC Carbon Footprint Certification
This document describes the main guidelines for the ISCC Carbon Footprint Certification (ISCC CFC) which can be used by system users to determine GHG emissions for different processes, feedstocks and products. Please note that the current version (v 1.3) has been in public consultation and that the feedback has been implemented.