Visualising CO2 emissions across the product life cycle
Reducing the ecological footprint of its products as much as possible is one of HELU’s declared goals. To make these efforts transparent, HELU has made the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) data for select products available. All relevant information can be found on this page.
HELU’s PCF Initiatives
HELU has begun systematically calculating the Product Carbon Footprint of its products based on the cradle-to-gate approach. The calculations for some products have already been completed, and these results are available via HELU’s Product Finder under the “Downloads” for the respective products. Further product groups will be added step by step.
For HELU, calculating the PCF is essential to better understanding and actively managing the environmental impact of its product portfolio. It enables the company to identify the key emission sources along its value-added chain and successively determine potentials for optimisation in product development. At the same time, it provides a sound foundation for reducing Scope 3 emissions and proactively addressing future regulatory requirements.
By making its PCF data available, HELU is making a significant contribution towards creating an environment of transparency for customers and business partners. They can directly integrate the information into their own Scope 3 accounting and in CO2 calculations for their own products.
How the Product Carbon Footprint is calculated
In order to calculate the PCF, HELU analyses the CO2 emissions throughout the entire manufacturing phase of a product, from the raw material extraction to material processing and ending with the final product leaving HELU’s factory. The materials used, the energy expended during production, and the relevant routes of transportation are documented. Using this data, the total CO2 footprint per product is then calculated in kilograms of CO2 equivalents (CO2e).
One primary challenge when calculating these values is in closing data gaps. In cases where precise primary data is not yet available, HELU uses recognised average values and clearly documented estimates.
The accuracy of the results depends on the data availability across the supply chain. Regardless, PCFs are already providing a reliable indication of emissions levels and helping identify key emissions drivers. At the same time, HELU is committed to increasing the share of primary data.
FAQ
A Product Carbon Footprint describes the greenhouse gas emissions that are produced throughout the entire lifecycle of a product, from the extraction of raw materials, to manufacturing, and ending when the product leaves HELU’s warehouse. Contrary to the Corporate Carbon Footprint (CCF), which calculates the emissions of an entire company, the PCF value is specific to an individual product. It is especially relevant in procurement, product development, and for customer-specific sustainability evaluations.
CO2e stands for “carbon dioxide equivalent” and is the internationally recognised unit of measurement for greenhouse gas emissions. This unit is used because other gases such as methane and nitrous oxide also contribute to global warming, however in different capacities.
In order to allow for comparison, they are converted to CO2 equivalents using their Global Warming Potential (GWP). With this method, it is estimated that methane has an 80-times greater climate impact than CO2 over a twenty-year span. CO2e summarises these different effects in one transparent and comparable number.
Cradle to gate is the system boundary within which all emissions are considered, from raw materials extraction (cradle) to when products leave HELU’s factory (gate). HELU starts here because it covers the largest area of influence that the company is currently able to control and measure: materials, energy usage, and transport up to delivery.
A complete approach (cradle to grave) would also include usage and disposal. These phases, however, fall outside of HELU’s direct influence and require additional data that are often difficult to obtain and make the results less accurate.
At first glance, they seem easy to compare: two similar products, two PCF values, and the lower value automatically appears better. In practice, however, it is not that simple. Even small differences in the calculation can influence the result, e.g., different emissions factors from different databases, divergent assumptions regarding transport routes, or different boundaries marking the lifecycle phases (e.g., cradle to gate vs. cradle to grave).
PCF values are therefore primarily a helpful tool for understanding and improving a products impact on the climate. A direct comparison between products makes sense when the underlying methods of calculation and assumptions are identical.
Do you have any questions regarding sustainability?
The HELU Group's team of experts is happy to assist with any sustainability-related questions. You can contact them at sustainability@helukabel.de or get in touch with Cablex via the contact form.