Finat hosts successful PCF workshop series

Finat has taken a significant step toward standardizing how the environmental impact of self-adhesive labels is measured, concluding a series of four industry workshops aimed at developing a harmonized Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) methodology.

The initiative brought together nearly 90 participants from around 70 organizations across the label value chain, underlining growing industry pressure to deliver credible, comparable carbon data as brand owner demands and regulatory scrutiny increase.

The association’s goal is to establish a robust, cradle-to-gate methodology for calculating the carbon footprint of self-adhesive laminates and printed labels, ensuring consistency and transparency across the sector.

The workshops combined strategic alignment with detailed technical work. An initial session introduced the project scope and objectives, followed by the formation of a continuous working group to guide technical development.

Subsequent workshops focused on defining system boundaries and methodological principles before moving into process-level detail. Separate technical deep dives addressed labelstock manufacturing and converting operations, forming the foundation for a modular approach to PCF calculation.

The work was delivered with support from life cycle assessment specialist Sphera to ensure alignment with recognized LCA standards.

Participants included labelstock manufacturers, converters, suppliers and other stakeholders, reflecting Finat’s focus on building consensus across the industry rather than developing a framework in isolation.

According to the association, feedback highlighted the value of bringing different perspectives together, with discussions drawing on extensive technical expertise from across the supply chain.

The level of engagement signals a broad recognition that fragmented approaches to carbon accounting risk creating inefficiencies and undermining credibility with customers.

Finat emphasized that the workshops were designed to produce practical outcomes rather than act as discussion forums. The conclusions will now feed into the next phase of developing a formal PCF calculation framework for the sector.

By facilitating technical alignment and consensus, the association aims to position itself as a central platform for industry-wide sustainability initiatives, enabling companies to adopt a common approach rather than develop individual methodologies.

The move comes as sustainability disclosure requirements tighten and brand owners increasingly request product-level carbon data. A harmonized methodology could help companies avoid duplicating work while improving confidence in reported figures.

Finat says the framework will support methodological consistency across the value chain, reduce reporting complexity for member companies and improve transparency toward customers and regulators.

With strong participation and technical progress, the initiative reflects growing momentum within the label industry to move from sustainability commitments to standardized, science-based measurement.