The new tool will allow Solvay to quickly and accurately calculate the carbon footprints of its products and take informed action.
Solvay has developed an automated system to calculate product carbon footprint (PCF), a measurement that takes into account all greenhouse gas emissions generated by a product, from raw material extraction to when it leaves the Solvay factory (cradle to gate).
The digital tool is being rolled out across the Group’s Novecare business, which works across the agro, home and personal care, coatings and industrial markets.
Developed using approved PCF and digital principles, and advancing integration with suppliers, the tool will helps Novecare to calculate the PCF of its entire portfolio of products and meet customer demand for increased accuracy and timely updates.
This information will allow the business and its customers to identify areas in which emissions can be reduced, and regularly track progress. It will also serve as a springboard for collaboration across the supply chain, enabling the development of innovative, climate-friendly solutions aligned with customer needs.
“Automated and fully aligned with existing global initiatives, this digital tool will be used to drive our commercial relationships, enabling us and our customers to make informed decisions that will both reduce our carbon footprints and advance innovation,” said Novecare president Mike Radossich.
“It will also empower our business to better manage our decarbonisation strategies across all scopes, particularly by providing us with a way to effectively measure upstream Scope 3 emissions.”
The Group’s automated PCF calculations are aligned with ISO 14067 and the Product Carbon Footprint Guideline for the Chemical Industry issued by Together for Sustainability (TfS). This allows TfS members to integrate the PCFs of chemical products into their product carbon footprint determinations and corporate greenhouse gas inventories, with a specific focus on Scope 3 Category 1 emissions, which cover raw materials. Solvay is also working with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) to encourage a cohesive approach to PCF calculation across all industries.
In 2022, Solvay announced its commitment to reduce Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 24% by 2030, as compared to 2018 – a goal that has since been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). The new PCF tool is the latest initiative taken by the Group to help achieve this ambition.
The project is currently being piloted at five of Solvay’s Novecare sites, in France and the US. It will be rolled out across all Novecare sites over the coming months and extended to more business areas in the near future.
