Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) Practitioner

Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) Practitioner

To combat man-made climate change, the concentration of greenhouse gases in the earth‘s atmosphere must be reduced. To this end, it must be possible to compare emissions at product level. The preconditions and calculation methods have been transferred by standardisation bodies at global level into the ISO 14060 series of standards.

Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) practitioners are responsible for calculating greenhouse gas emissions at product level in all phases of the life cycle in accordance with ISO 14067.

The calculation of greenhouse gas emissions and compliance with the generally recognised rules of technology requires appropriate specialist knowledge (professional training and professional experience) of the persons carrying out the task. These persons must be able to always provide evidence of their required qualification.

On the safe side with the „DINplus“ quality mark:

Carbon Action developed a course to equip carbon professionals to conduct product carbon foot printing in line with the ISO 14067 standard. Carbon Action’s content is augmented by a certification scheme DINplus, administered by DIN CERTCO. Professionals can learn the subject matter from the Carbon Action course and then proceed to attain professional certification as a PCF Practitioner from DIN CERTCO. That certification is recognised and valued globally. Global recognition is important given the adoption of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in the Europea Union.

CBAM will make knowing the embedded carbon in products into a competitive advantage – for companies both inside and outside the EU. That in turn will create the need for expertise in the area, as well as credibility in both compiling and verifying, the accuracy of PCF assertions. The joint scheme also benefitted from consultation with outside bodies, including Fresh Coast Inc (a US based PCF consultancy) and the UK based Carbon Accounting Alliance (CAA) among others. CAA’s mission is to raise the standards and advance the boundaries of the carbon accounting profession and see this course as a key piece of the intellectual infrastructure needed to achieve that aim.

Sustainability practitioners, consultants, auditors, engineers or other experts in emissions calculation have the opportunity to prove their qualification to their clients by means of a certificate from DIN CERTCO. Only the "PCF Practitioner" is authorised to use the "DINplus" quality mark as proof of their expertise.

Trust is good - DINplus-certified is better!

Your advantages at a glance

  • Increase confidence in your expertise by external validation.
  • Benefit from the high reputation of the DIN brand at home and abroad.
  • The certificate, the personalised ID card and the central inclusion in the DIN CERTCO database ensure maximum transparency.
  • Secure market and competitive advantages when awarding (public) contracts.
  • Provide HR managers in your company with a decision-making aid.
  • Use personal certification as proof of further training as part of a QM system.
  • Confirm that your knowledge and that of your employees is up to date.

Test principles for "PCF Practitioner"

The DIN CERTCO certification scheme "Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) Practitioner", which was created in cooperation with the DIN CERTCO-recognised training partner Occupli Ltd. and the CAA association, describes the certification requirements. The following documents form the basis for the training, examination and certification:

  • DIN EN ISO 14067
  • AR6 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2023; IPCC, 2023

Admission requirement for the examination

All participants must provide evidence of at least 2 years of relevant professional experience (see certification scheme for more details).

Testing and certification:

Proof of theoretical expertise and practical skills is provided in the form of a written examination.

If the examination results are assessed positively by DIN CERTCO, the "PCF Practitioner" receives a certificate that is valid for 5 years. In addition, they receive the right to use the DINplus quality mark and an ID card to document their qualification on site. The DINplus certificate confirms the qualification to independently calculate the product-specific greenhouse gases in accordance with DIN EN ISO 14067.

The registration number for the unique identification of the "PCF Practitioner" has the following structure: PZ-PCF-000.

Maintaining expertise

During the validity of the certificate, the "PCF Practitioner" must regularly demonstrate that he is applying his knowledge and skills in the relevant field. After expiry of the validity of the certificate, the validity of the certificate can be extended for a further 5 years at the request of the certificate holder, provided that the requirements for this are met.

Individuals can use personal certification to emphasise their competence and demonstrate it in a comprehensible manner. As part of a quality management system, personal certification can be helpful in fulfilling the "qualification" element. With the certificate, the specialist can also demonstrate that their knowledge of emission calculation standards and regulations is always "up to date" - this creates trust!

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

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Who is the "PCF Practitioner“ certification aimed at?

The certification "PCF Practitioner“ is a personal certification. It is aimed at practitioners, scientists, engineers, or other expert personal with several years of experience in the field of emissions calculation.

Can companies also be certified?

No, the certification "PCF Practitioner“ is a personal certification. It therefore relates exclusively to personal qualifications. However, several or all appropriately qualified persons in a company can of course be certified.

How do you know if you are eligible to take the exam?

In our certification scheme you will find the requirements and the necessary documents to submit. You are also welcome to contact us directly. Once the application documents have been received and positively assessed, you will receive an order confirmation stating the examination date and location. This order confirmation also serves as authorisation for the examination. You do not need to bring/present the letter to the examination.

What are the ongoing fees after initial certification?

From the year following the initial certification, a flat-rate annual usage fee is charged for the certificate and the "DINplus" quality mark. Please refer to our current schedule of fees to find out which services are covered by this fee.

In addition, the certification requires regular monitoring measures (in the third year) such as specialised work, elaborations, planning, further training and an extension of the certification period after 5 years.

Who is the holder of the certificate?

It is a personalised certification. The contractual partner and therefore the person liable for the certificate is ultimately the person who pays the invoice. If the invoice is issued to a private individual, this person is liable. If the certificate is issued to a company, the company is responsible and must sign the application with the company stamp.

In principle, the certificate can also be issued to a private individual with invoicing to the company or vice versa.

What happens if someone is unable to take the exam despite fulfilling the entry requirements?

In principle, admission to the examination remains valid and the applicant can take part in the examination on one of the following dates. The procedure will only be cancelled, subject to a fee, if the applicant fails to take part in 3 of the examination dates offered. In this case, a new application for initial certification must be submitted.

When does DIN CERTCO issue the invoice?

The invoice will be sent after completion of the procedure together with the certificate and the ID card. Prepayment invoices are possible on request or in individual cases.

Why is there a licence fee?

From the year following initial certification, a flat-rate annual licence fee is charged for the "DINplus" quality mark. Please refer to our current schedule of fees to find out which services are covered by this fee.

What happens if I leave or change companies as an employee?

In principle, the certificate can be transferred to the new employer or to a private individual. The prerequisite for this is that the previous employer agrees to the transfer by means of a declaration of consent. If the declaration of consent is not available, initial certification with a new registration number is possible without a new examination.

In the case of a transfer from a private individual to a company, a declaration of consent is not required.

In both cases, an application for transfer must be submitted.

What are the benefits of certification as a "PCF Practitioner"?

  • Increase confidence in your expertise.
  • Benefit from the high reputation of the DIN brand at home and abroad.
  • The certificate, the personalised ID card and the central inclusion in the DIN CERTCO database ensure the greatest possible transparency.
  • Secure market and competitive advantages when awarding (public) contracts.
  • Provide personnel Practitioners in your company with a decision-making aid.
  • Use personal certification as further training as part of a QM system.
  • Confirm that your knowledge and that of your employees is up to date.
  • Inclusion in our online database as a DINplus-certified PCF Practitioner, including the display of your company logo, which is often used for research purposes.
  • DIN CERTCO as an independent and neutral certification body confirms your qualification.

Can I be admitted as a career changer without relevant professional experience?

No, admission to the examination is based on at least 2 years of professional experience.

How is the exam organised and are aids permitted?

The written exam consists of 30 multiple choice questions and a practical math problem. No aids are permitted. Pocket calculators may be used.

Where do I have to register?

Registration for testing and certification takes place via DIN CERTCO.

Registration for training takes place at Carbon action/Occupli

Documents for the certification as a Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) Practitioner

pdf Application Form PCF Practitioner 130 KB Download
pdf Certification Scheme Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) Practitioner 336 KB Download
pdf Schedule of Fees PCF Practitioner 172 KB Download
pdf Flyer PCF Practitioner 1 MB Download
pdf General Terms and Conditions 327 KB Download
pdf Testing-, Registration- and Certification Regulations 320 KB Download

Certificate Holder

Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) Practitioner

Training Partner

Carbon Action

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Contact

We are pleased to answer your questions

We are pleased to answer your questions

DIN CERTCO Gesellschaft für Konformitätsbewertung mbH