Extensive comparative research between standards and guidelines for PCF calculations was conducted to understand lifecycle stage scope, indicators, and geographic and sector relevance. Both general standards and sector-specific guidelines and PCRs were considered. This confirmed ISO 14067 as the key standard to focus on.
We assembled a climate intelligence team of carbon specialists to track regulatory changes, maintain emission factors, and develop communication materials. These experts aggregated, filtered, and harmonized >13,000 publicly available emission factors from scientific sources recognized by the industry and >18,000 commercially available ones. Harmonizing across temporal, geographical, and system boundaries resulted in a mutually exclusive, collectively exhaustive database of >7,000 emission factors tailored to manufacturers. This includes an annually updated proprietary global dataset for national grid electricity consumption, with fuel source breakdowns for location-based accounting, plus residual mixes and regional district heating factors to improve accuracy.
As an MVP, we launched PCF STARTER, available from Q2 2023 to Q2 2024 to VDMA members. It covers key cradle-to-gate emission sources and is compatible with the VDMA PCF Guideline, GHG Protocol, and ISO 14067. Comparisons between PCFs calculated with PCF STARTER and ISO-certified tools and LCAs showed only negligible differences, validating the MVP’s reliability.
In Q2 2024, building on PCF STARTER learnings, we launched our in-app beta for PCF calculations, tested and refined with multiple customers. In parallel, we aligned our solutions with new regulations (CSRD, CBAM, EU Taxonomy), enabling customers to calculate and optimize CCF and PCF in compliance with evolving EU sustainability rules.
With regulatory shifts accelerating, we prioritized rapid feature delivery and iteration based on feedback. In 2023, our core software was TÜV-certified for GHG Protocol compliance (ISO 14064 equivalent). In 2024, this expanded to full Scope 1-3 ISO 14064 alignment. Our PCF methodology was certified under ISO 14067, and our information security systems under ISO 27001. These certifications show our commitment to excellence, relevance, and trust - and support commercialization.
Market introduction efforts were also completed: our team joined trade fairs for customer feedback, organized webinars, published content on carbon accounting and sustainability reporting, and drove direct sales.
