Product Environmental Footprint Find out more about the environmental footprint of our products.
Making the environmental footprint calculable
In order to be able to show as precisely as possible what impact our products have on the environment, we examine the ecological footprint of each individual product. To do this, Phoenix Contact creates a Product Environmental Footprint, or PEF for short. Up to 18 environmental indicators are taken into account for this footprint, with a strong focus on the CO₂ value of the products. Other indicators, such as land use or water consumption, are also calculated when the data is available.
All phases are relevant
The calculation of the PEF involves close examination of the entire value chain and includes the following phases:
- Product design and choice of raw materials
- Manufacturing process including all production steps
- Distribution of the item
- Use and end-of-life phase of the products
Exploiting transparency
In all our processes and production workflows, we are constantly faced with new decisions and also review previous procedures. In order for these decisions to take sustainability aspects into account, we need to assess which measures can achieve the greatest effects. This is precisely where examining and calculating the PEF helps, as we can draw conclusions from the environmental indicators for our internal processes. This enables continuous process improvement that reduces our environmental impact and conserves resources.
Quality of the data
To calculate the PEF, Phoenix Contact follows the models from the ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards. We use primary data as well as data from environmental databases to determine the PEF. In order to transparently show where the data comes from, Phoenix Contact divides the data into quality levels. In this way, we create transparency and enable our customers to obtain information about the data quality of the calculated environmental indicators and the CO₂ footprint at any time.
CO₂ footprint
With the creation of the Product Environmental Footprint and the transparency of the data, we are setting the right course for the path to a sustainable product portfolio.
We help our customers make products and supply chains more sustainable. This means that more environmentally friendly materials and processes will be used selectively, reducing any environmental impact.