The manufacturing process for most products requires energy-intensive processes, which traditionally rely on burning fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal. This releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere which trap more heat than normal in the atmosphere, which accelerates global climate change. Understanding and reducing a product’s carbon footprint means you can then do something about climate change.

This includes the impacts from raw materials, production, and transport before the product is distributed to the end user or consumer. It excludes any further distribution, the impact of using the product, and disposal at end-of-life.

This includes the impacts from raw materials, production, and transport before the product is distributed to the end user or consumer, plus disposal at the end-of-life. It excludes any further distribution. It is considered there is zero energy consumed using the product.

This includes all raw materials, production, transport to warehouses, distribution to the end customer or consumer, and disposal at end-of-life. Please always check if the use phase is taken into account, or if calculations consider there is zero energy consumed in using the product by the end user or consumer due to the nature of the product.

CO2e is the standard measure for carbon footprints. It includes carbon dioxide as well as the other most important greenhouse gases created by human activities that contribute to climate change. These are converted to a much simpler to understand ‘carbon dioxide equivalent’, or CO2e.

The substrate itself like paper or plastic is usually the dominant contributor to a carbon footprint, accounting on average for approximately 50% of its impact.

In the context of paper, biogenic carbon is the carbon dioxide that a tree absorbs as it grows. In line with international standards such as the GHG Protocol, we do not include it in CO2e calculations.

We try to research as much as possible when calculating carbon footprint. Using CarbonQuota’s sector specialist models and supply chain expertise, every variable is considered. Other sources may be less confident in their assumptions, so they use a higher value to be conservative.

We try to include as much as possible in the carbon footprint for maximum transparency. Using CarbonQuota’s sector specialist models and supply chain expertise, every variable is considered. A higher carbon footprint is usually because it includes more aspects that other sources may have had to exclude as they were unable to find the right data or were not confident in their assumptions.

There is no “good” or “bad” carbon footprint. By providing you with different carbon footprints for different options, you can make informed choices to reduce your environmental impact.

There are many ways you can make significant reductions to your carbon footprints. These include investigating a range of specifications, materials, and manufacturing processes, reducing transport distances, and enabling the end user to recycle the item. If the product requires energy while it is used it is important to ensure it is powered by renewable electricity.

Your suppliers can help by reducing their use of fossil fuels in the manufacturing process, minimising waste, reducing transport, as well as using alternative materials produced by lower-carbon providers. Carefully check that any sustainability claims they are making are backed up by science. Where this information is made available in CarbonQuota’s database, this will be reflected in lower carbon footprint values.

Product carbon footprints from CarbonQuota are calculated by accessing the widest possible range of databases and studies from across the world, which is being constantly updated and refreshed as new information becomes available. This combines actual supplier data, sector specialist data, paid for data, publicly available data, opensource data, and CarbonQuota’s expertise. This is always subject to data licensing permissions.

CarbonQuota adapts its model to most accurately represent the supply chain of specific users. Where possible primary data about the activity is used to improve the accuracy. CarbonQuota’s experts make assumptions and use secondary data where information is not available.

To enable us to calculate at the most granular level, our algorithm is trained to take information from across our database which is being updated constantly. We also use real-time software to check distances between locations to ensure overall accuracy, as well as frequently updating our database and algorithm with the latest insights and science. Therefore, you will sometimes see the same input at a different time having a slightly different response due to these continual improvements and real-life variables.

Carbon footprints are independently calculated and verified by CarbonQuota using their real-time engine. As specialists in the environmental impact of print, packaging, marketing and media sectors, CarbonQuota has developed a bespoke carbon footprint calculator powered by a unique database and algorithm which is externally assured against relevant international standards.

Please speak to your account manager or [email protected] to find out what is available.

How it can be used for reporting will depend on individual circumstances. Please discuss this with the relevant carbon management partner or auditor.

Please speak to your account manager or [email protected]

CarbonQuota is a specialist in carbon management for the print, packaging, marketing and media sectors, helping businesses to comply with regulatory requirements, meet customer demands and reduce environmental impact through accurate, automated carbon footprints and customised carbon reduction strategies.

This Carbon Calculator is provided free of charge and a fair use policy applies. Users are forbidden from adapting, changing or reverse engineering the carbon footprints in any way.

Absolutely! It is intended to provide an indication of the carbon footprint of the job, and demonstrate that the industry is working together to bring transparency to the sector.