Trust in Automation: PCF Program Certification for Scalable Product Carbon Footprint Calculations
- Kerstin Schmitz
- Jan 23
- 3 min read
As demand for product-level carbon data continues to grow, companies face a fundamental challenge: scaling automated Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) calculations across entire portfolios while maintaining methodological consistency, data integrity, and trust along the value chain.
How can this challenge be addressed in automated PCF calculation environments?
From individual PCF verification to PCF Program Certification
As PCFs are increasingly calculated at SKU level, across multiple production sites, and within complex manufacturing networks, scalable and system-level approaches are becoming essential. Automated PCF environments enable consistent, repeatable, and efficient Product Carbon Footprint calculations across entire portfolios.
In this context, initiatives such as Catena-X and Together for Sustainability (TfS) define rulebooks and requirements, including formal PCF verification guidance published by TfS, that support PCF Program Certification as a system-level approach for automated PCF environments. These provisions address PCF exchange, calculation, and verification in a way that is compatible with large-scale automation.
PCF Program Certification focuses on the calculation system itself — including governance, methodology, data management, and internal controls — rather than on isolated PCF results, similar in structure to a certified management system, enabling consistent and repeatable PCF generation at scale.
Webinar: Trust in Automation – PCF Program Certification
In this webinar, AllocNow and TÜV SÜD explore how PCF Program Certification establishes trust along the value chain.
The session brings together practical perspectives on operating automated PCF programs with insights into certification expectations and assessment criteria. AllocNow contributes experience from implementing automated PCF calculation environments in practice, while TÜV SÜD provides the certification body perspective on what is required for credible and robust third-party program-level assurance.
What is PCF Program Certification in automated PCF environments?
The webinar introduces the concept of PCF Programs, explaining their role within current verification and certification schemes and what certification bodies assess when reviewing automated calculation solutions.
PCF Program Certification is grounded in established methodological foundations, including the PACT (Partnership for Carbon Transparency) methodology developed by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). This enables interoperable and comparable product-level carbon data across value chains.
Key topics addressed include:
Methodological consistency across portfolios and sites
Governance structures and clearly defined responsibilities
Data management, traceability, and documentation requirements
Internal controls supporting reliable and repeatable PCF calculations
Together, these elements form the foundation for certification readiness in automated PCF environments.
The PCF Program Certification journey: preparation, assessment, and maintenance
A dedicated focus is placed on the PCF Program Certification journey, covering the typical steps toward obtaining and maintaining a PCF Program Certificate.
The webinar addresses:
Typical steps toward a PCF Program Certificate
Key technical and organizational requirements
Practical aspects to consider during preparation and assessment scope
Governance and control mechanisms for maintaining certification over time
This structured perspective supports a clear understanding of how PCF Program Certification is applied in practice beyond the initial assessment.
Who should attend this PCF Program Certification webinar?
This webinar is intended for sustainability, life cycle assessment, and digitalization professionals working with Product Carbon Footprint calculations.
It is particularly relevant for those seeking a structured understanding of PCF Program Certification and its role in enabling scalable and trustworthy Product Carbon Footprint calculations in automated environments.
Key takeaways
The webinar concludes with key takeaways and a Q&A session, offering participants a clear and structured understanding of PCF Program Certification and its application within scalable PCF calculation environments.
Speakers
Dr. Jonas Johannisson - Sustainability Program Development Manager, TÜV SÜD
Jonas leads the PCF verification and certification activities for Catena-X and TfS. His work focuses on advancing automated, third-party verification and certification processes for PCFs and LCAs, enabling scalable, consistent, and trustworthy carbon data across global value chains.
Holding a PhD from the University of Ulm, he is dedicated to fostering standardized and credible environmental data methodologies and strengthening transparency in sustainability reporting.
Daniel Bochnitschek - Co-Founder and Managing Director, AllocNow
Daniel supports companies in driving the transformation toward sustainable and circular business models. Prior to co-founding AllocNow, he spent eight years in management consulting, focusing on strategic and operational challenges in the chemical industry and related sectors.
Related reading
For broader context on verified product-level carbon data and its role in establishing trust and transparency across value chains, read: Verified Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) Data: Building Trust and Compliance Across Value Chains
