ISCCCarbon FootprintCertification (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).

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Verifying your product carbon footprint

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.

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Benefitsof ISCC CFC

Standardised carbon footprint data

Standardised carbon footprint data delivers transparent, reproducible, and credible Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs).

Improved emissions management

Improved emissions management strengthens GHG reporting, supports emission reduction, and enables strategic climate action.

Stronger communication and accountability

Stronger communication and accountability enables companies to report and share verified carbon data with confidence.

Operational and environmental optimisation

Operational and environmental optimisation drives innovation, improves production and recycling, and supports risk management.

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ISCC CFC System Document

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.

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ISCC Carbon Footprint Certification (v1.4)

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Basics of ISCC CFC

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 the end of 2025.
Participation in the ISCC CFC training and successful passing of 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 eligible for the raw material category “bio”. The combination of ISCC PLUS and ISCC CFC for further raw materials categories is under development.