Carbon footprint calculation

Calculating the carbon footprint is an essential part of responsible and sustainable operation. The carbon footprint calculation and its results help outline the starting point for your company’s climate responsibility, set ambitious emissions reduction targets and plan concrete emissions reduction measures to achieve the goal. Carbon footprint calculation plays a key role in meeting the requirements of the changing operating environment.

It is possible to calculate a carbon footprint for almost anything, but in most cases, it is done for businesses and organisations or products and services.

Nordic Offset implements carbon footprint calculation competently and with high quality, with experience gained from numerous different calculation projects. We carry out every project for our clients in accordance with international standards and guidelines, as well as best practices. In addition, we help identify emissions reduction measures and implement climate-responsible communications.

The company’s carbon footprint indicates the greenhouse gas emissions caused by the operations, i.e. the negative climate impact. The company’s carbon footprint calculation is a standardised method for determining the greenhouse gas emissions generated by the company’s operations and value chain. The calculation, its scope and reporting are based on the guidelines of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol – the best-known and most widely used guideline for calculating greenhouse gas emissions – as well as the related standards.

In accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the company’s carbon footprint calculation must include mandatory Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, which arise from the use of fuel and the production of purchased energy, for example. Including Scope 3 emissions is optional, but it is still recommended to review those indirect emission sources that have been identified as most significant. These emission sources may vary, depending on the industry. The Greenhouse Gas Protocol also defines calculation guidelines for Scope 3 emission categories such as raw material sourcing, logistics, waste, business travel and investments.

The company’s carbon footprint is typically calculated over a period of one year, and the result of the calculation is presented in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂e), where different greenhouse gases are commensurated to the same reporting unit. The calculation is typically repeated annually to monitor the development of the carbon footprint.

The calculation of greenhouse gas emissions is mandatory for some industries and voluntary for others for the time being. However, stricter legislation and new regulations are encouraging all companies to increasingly adopt climate-responsible operations. The EU’s new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) will soon require both large and SMEs, in addition to listed companies, to report on their responsibility in accordance with the directive. As a result, reporting requirements also apply to smaller and smaller companies in subcontracting chains. It is therefore worthwhile for even smaller companies to start preparing for the requirements, regardless of the industry in which they operate.

Nordic Offset carbon footprint calculation service

To ensure the correct input data is collected, and the calculation is delimited and executed correctly from the outset, you should enlist the help of an expert consultant. Nordic Offset has calculated the carbon footprint of numerous different companies and helped clients operating in different industries with emission reporting challenges.

Nordic Offset’s carbon footprint calculation service is clear and cost-effective, and the client’s workload is minimised. We carry out the carbon footprint calculation competently, accurately and with high quality in accordance with the standards. The carbon footprint calculation and reporting follows the following standards and guidelines, among others:

• Greenhouse Gas Protocol: A Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard)
• Greenhouse Gas Protocol: The Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting Standard
• Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (EU directive 2022/2464)
• GRI Standards (GRI 305: Emissions 2016)
• Industry-specific guidelines

The report we produce as a result of the carbon footprint calculation includes all important information, documented from the analysis of the input data to comprehensive results pages, as well as concrete emissions reduction measures and development proposals. Not forgetting the clear and visual presentation format.

The results of the carbon footprint calculation carried out by Nordic Offset are suitable as such to be included in the company’s responsibility reporting. The reporting of the results is in line with both the GRI reporting practices and the new European Union sustainability reporting directive. The content of the versatile report can be utilised as such in the company’s own communications, and our carbon footprint calculation service always includes communication support. In addition, our experienced professionals are at your disposal throughout the project.

We also carry out verifications of the company’s carbon footprint calculations.

Do you want to discover your company’s carbon footprint? Get in touch with our experienced professionals to discuss the right solutions for your business.

Take a look at a case study of our carbon footprint calculation.

The calculation of the carbon footprint of a product is a method of examining the climate impact generated by the various stages of the product’s life cycle. The calculation of the carbon footprint of a product helps identify the emissions from the company’s processes and supply chain. It serves as a relevant metric for developing the value chain and operational efficiency, as well as providing useful information for product design to develop an increasingly low-emission product. This often leads to cost savings as well. When the carbon footprint of a product is known, its climate benefits can also be communicated to stakeholders reliably and transparently.

A broader version of the product’s carbon footprint calculation is the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). In addition to the carbon footprint, the LCA produces results from several environmental indicators such as acidification, eutrophication, water use and depletion of natural resources. The Life Cycle Assessment is a standardised method based on ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards.  The assessment can consider either all stages of the product’s life cycle (cradle-to-grave LCA) or only the production stage of the product (cradle-to-gate LCA).

The results of the Life Cycle Assessment can be reported in the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) if desired. The Environmental Product Declaration is a standard document guided by the ISO 14025 standard. In addition, it must be drafted taking industry-specific standards (e.g. EN 15804 for construction products) and product-specific guidelines (Product Category Rules, PCR) into account.  The environmental product description can be verified and subsequently published in various emission databases.

Nordic Offset has carried out several carbon footprint calculations, Life Cycle assessments and Environmental Product Declarations. We also act as an official Rakennustietosäätiö-approved EPD verifier.

Our product-specific service package includes modelling and reporting in accordance with the chosen standard, as well as client communication support. We also carry out third-party verifications of the product’s carbon footprint calculation, Life Cycle Assessment and Environmental Product Descriptions.

Do you want to know which method is best for your product, or how to start developing the product’s climate responsibility? Get in touch with our experienced professionals to discuss the right solutions for your business.

We also carry out a tailor-made carbon footprint calculation for services or events, for example. Our other services also include:

• Planning emissions reduction actions and targets
• Emission offsetting, i.e. cancellation with certified carbon credits
• Support for sustainability communications
• Carbon handprint and nature footprint determination