New Certification Service in Development: ISCC Carbon Footprint Certification
Oct 09, 2026Product Carbon Footprints are becoming increasingly important for companies operating across global value chains. With ISCC Carbon Footprint Certification (ISCC CFC), DEKRA Certification is currently developing a new independent certification service for product-related greenhouse gas information.
Companies are increasingly challenged to quantify the greenhouse gas emissions associated with their products in a transparent, traceable and robust manner. Customers, business partners and other stakeholders increasingly expect reliable Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs), while requirements regarding the quality, traceability and substantiation of environmental information continue to increase.
With ISCC CFC, International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) has established a voluntary certification system that provides a standardized framework for the independent assessment and certification of Product Carbon Footprints. Its methodological framework draws on established international standards and approaches for life cycle assessment and product carbon footprinting.
ISCC CFC draws on established international standards and methodological approaches for life cycle assessment and Product Carbon Footprint calculation, including:
- ISO 14040 – Environmental management – Life cycle assessment – Principles and framework
- ISO 14044 – Environmental management – Life cycle assessment – Requirements and guidelines
- ISO 14067 – Greenhouse gases – Carbon footprint of products – Requirements and guidelines for quantification
- Together for Sustainability (TfS) – Product Carbon Footprint Guideline for the chemical industry and its supply chains
- GHG Protocol – internationally established framework for greenhouse gas accounting and reporting
ISCC CFC builds on these established approaches and further specifies them through its own system and calculation requirements. The objective is to improve the transparency, traceability and reproducibility of Product Carbon Footprints and to reduce methodological discretion in the calculation.
ISCC CFC within the ISCC System Family
ISCC CFC complements the existing ISCC certification systems with a dedicated focus on product-related greenhouse gas emissions.
While ISCC EU and ISCC PLUS primarily address sustainability characteristics, chain of custody and traceability along supply chains, ISCC CFC focuses on the verification and certification of greenhouse gas emissions and Product Carbon Footprints for raw materials, processes and products.
ISCC CFC can be used as a stand-alone certification or, for eligible set-ups, in combination with ISCC PLUS. The system is currently not designed as an unrestricted PCF certification scheme for any type of product. Certificates can only be issued for products and set-ups covered by the applicable ISCC CFC approaches and technologies.
What Makes ISCC CFC Methodologically Distinct?
The approach goes beyond reviewing a final PCF value. The assessment covers, among other aspects, the methodology, system boundaries, emission factors, input data, data sources and relevant mass and energy flows.
ISCC CFC builds on established PCF and LCA approaches while adding specific requirements that further constrain methodological choices. This is intended to make PCF results more transparent, traceable and reproducible.
Data quality is another key focus. Primary data are preferred, while secondary data, databases and scientific sources may also be used under defined conditions. The underlying calculation must be documented in a way that enables the certification body to understand and verify it.
Supply Chains Rather than Isolated Values
ISCC CFC also follows a supply-chain approach. Where CFC-certified materials are traded or further processed and the certified PCF information is intended to be passed on within the ISCC CFC system, downstream traders or processing units may also require their own CFC certification. For instance, if a certified raw material is processed further and the PCF claim is to be passed on, the processor may also need its own CFC certification.
This creates a framework in which PCF information is not only assessed at an individual point, but can also be transferred in a traceable manner along defined supply chains.
Why Is This Particularly Relevant Now?
Product-related greenhouse gas information is becoming increasingly important in supply chains and external communication. At the same time, the regulatory framework for environmental claims has become more stringent, including through the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (EmpCo), which has applied across the EU since 27 September 2026.
In this context, independently assessed Product Carbon Footprints can provide a robust and transparent basis for product-related GHG information. ISCC CFC defines specific requirements for the calculation, assessment and communication of certified PCF information.
Important distinction:
ISCC CFC certification confirms the Product Carbon Footprint against the applicable ISCC CFC requirements. It does not constitute a general confirmation that any environmental or climate-related claim based on that PCF is automatically compliant with EmpCo or applicable national unfair competition law.
Under ISCC CFC, claims are subject to specific scheme requirements. In particular, communication is based on the absolute certified PCF value together with the information required by the scheme. Claims such as “low carbon” or “reduced emissions” must not simply be derived from the certified PCF value, and benchmarks or reference values are not automatically verified under ISCC CFC.
This illustrates the distinction between a certified data basis and the environmental claim derived from it – a distinction that is also relevant under the current regulatory framework for environmental communication.
For further information on the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive and its implications for environmental and sustainability claims, please refer to our separate article: “EmpCo: New Requirements for Environmental and Sustainability Claims”.
The certification process is aligned directly with the requirements of the current ISCC CFC System Document (version 1.4) and comprises six key steps:
- Eligibility Check
DEKRA submits a description of the intended certification set-up and the product or material concerned to ISCC. The certification process can proceed once ISCC has confirmed eligibility. - Registration & Certification Body Selection
The company completes the ISCC CFC registration process and selects an independent certification body. - PCF Documentation
The system user provides the PCF calculation together with the relevant evidence and supporting documentation. - Technical PCF Review
Qualified GHG/LCA experts review the methodology, emission factors, data basis and calculation and request clarification or corrections where necessary. - Certification Audit
During the certification audit, the relevant information and supporting evidence are assessed, with particular focus on plausibility and traceability. Any required corrective actions must be completed. - Certification Decision & Certificate
Following successful completion of the audit and an independent positive certification decision, the ISCC CFC certificate is issued. The certified PCF may then be used and communicated in accordance with the applicable ISCC CFC requirements.
ISCC CFC certificates are generally valid for twelve months. Relevant life cycle inventory data and, where applicable, mass balance requirements are verified annually. The underlying PCF calculation must be reviewed at least every three years; an earlier update may be required in the event of relevant changes.
ISCC CFC requires specific technical expertise, particularly in Life Cycle Assessment, Product Carbon Footprinting and greenhouse gas accounting, as well as the relevant ISCC-specific qualifications.
For DEKRA Certification, developing the service therefore involves not only preparing a new service description, but also establishing and maintaining the required technical competence, audit processes and independent certification decision structures.
How Is DEKRA Certification Preparing the New Service?
DEKRA Certification is currently preparing the technical and operational requirements for the new certification service. This includes integrating the ISCC CFC requirements into existing certification and assessment processes, qualifying the auditors involved, and preparing the service from a technical, operational and market perspective.
DEKRA Certification can build on its existing expertise in greenhouse gas validation and verification as well as its experience with the ISCC certification systems. ISCC CFC complements this portfolio with a dedicated certification service for product-related greenhouse gas information.
For DEKRA Certification, the new service therefore brings together several developments that are increasingly converging: Product Carbon Footprints, independent conformity assessment, supply-chain transparency, robust environmental information and increasing regulatory requirements for environmental communication – including those arising from EmpCo.
Outlook
DEKRA Certification is currently further developing the service and establishing the prerequisites for the operational delivery of ISCC CFC certifications. In parallel, the corresponding German- and English-language service information for the DEKRA Certification website is being prepared.
The ISCC Carbon Footprint Certification (ISCC CFC) enables the independent assessment and certification of your products’ Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs). Based on internationally recognized standards, it provides reliable, product-specific greenhouse gas emissions data for use across supply chains and in external communications. DEKRA supports you throughout the certification process with qualified auditors.