Organization Environmental Footprint (OEF) and Product Environmental Footprint (PEF)

The concept of environmental footprint

The concept of “environmental footprint” is based on the demands of European citizens who want to have reliable and correct information about the environmental behavior of products and organizations. In order to have secure information, standardized and appropriate measurement methods of Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) and reliable communication of the results to the different stakeholders are required.

The term Environmental Footprint is strengthened in the market when the European Union publishes the “Commission Recommendation (EU) 2021/2279 of December 15, 2021 on the use of environmental footprint methods to measure and communicate the analysis of life cycle of products and organizations. This legislative act homogenizes and unifies the methods for calculating the “Organization Environmental Footprint (OEF) and Product Environmental Footprint (PEF)”.

Recommendation (EU) 2021/2279 establishes the methodology for the preparation of Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (hereinafter PEFCRs) and Organization Environmental Footprint Sector Rules (hereinafter OEFSRs). Environmental impact categories associated with the product and/or organization are also established, as well as the pertinent information that must be provided to the consumer (citizen, company, public administration, …).

Currently, the European Union requires, if you want to access European funds (Next Generation, European Regional Development Fund, …), compliance with the DNSH principle (do not cause significant harm) regarding the environmental objectives established in the Taxonomy Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2020/852).

huella ambiental corporativa hac y huella ambiental de producto hap

The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is an international methodology that quantifies the environmental impacts associated with the goods and services that are designed and manufactured, detecting areas for improvement through the study of the complete life cycle of the product. The LCA is defined in the ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards.

The Environmental Product Footprint (PEF) covers LCA of the product family, but also the life cycle impact assessment, interpretation, verification and validation of the study, the verification report and the validation statement.

Organization Environmental Footprint (OEF) calculates the environmental performance of a company. It starts with the same concept of LCA, but a particular scope is applied. It measures the environmental impacts associated with the company’s activity during a representative period (usually, one year), and the study includes activities, facilities, products and services that were used (depending on the use, it can focus specifically to any process of the company). The standard ISO / TS 14072: 2014 “Environmental management — Life cycle assessment — Requirements and guidelines for organisational life cycle assessment” aims to give CEF calculations and reports credibility and assurance.

The water footprint

The water footprint is an environmental indicator that defines the total volume of freshwater used to produce the goods and services we usually consume. It is a necessary variable that tells us how much water it costs us to make a product. In a country like Spain, it should be an indicator of utmost importance.

Traditionally, evaluations of water uses were carried out exclusively by measuring or estimating the catchments of surface or underground sources without considering the water used for the production of final goods and services. Products and services fabrication need production chains (many times long) with specific water consumptions and impacts.

The water footprint (WF) seeks to assess the impact on water resources that the production of a good or the provision of service requires throughout its entire production chain, including in the calculation, raw materials. Its measure is established in a modular way, adding the needs for water use and consumption of each stage of production from the origin to the final consumer.

We provide solutions

OAK has been working on environmental projects for various companies for 20 years: waste managers, industrial and construction companies, passenger transport companies… We have been improving, evolving, and perfecting our work system to provide clients with professional and quality solutions during this time.

The projects we have developed have successfully passed audits and verifications of the main verification programs. This independent and multidisciplinary vision helps us in our work. Always a little better. Because we know that our success lies in a job well done and in our clients.

This solution is aimed at

Companies of any type that want financing through European funds (Next Generation, European Regional Development Fund, …), entry into green purchasing programs, sustainable certification schemes, improvement of their environmental management systems (UNE-EN ISO 14001: 2015, EMAS) delving into the concept of Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of its products, entry into eco-design projects, or improvement of Business to Business or Business to Consumer environmental communication.

Organization Environmental Footprint (OEF) and Product Environmental Footprint (PEF)

The European Commission is firmly committed to creating a suitable framework for “green products” (Building the Single Market for Green Products).

The concept of environmental footprint

The water footprint

We provide solutions

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