Finat has completed a series of four intensive workshops dedicated to developing a reliable and harmonised industry approach to Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) calculation for self-adhesive label laminates and printed labels. Nearly 90 participants representing around 70 organisations across the value chain took part in the programme, including labelstock producers, converters, suppliers and stakeholders working with brand owners. The initiative illustrates the label sector's growing commitment to environmental impact transparency and to aligning methodological approaches to greenhouse gas emissions reporting.
The primary objective of Finat is to develop a robust cradle-to-gate carbon footprint methodology that ensures consistent and credible results for label products. This involves defining common system boundaries, assumptions and calculation parameters for the individual stages of laminate and printed label production. In the context of increasing regulatory requirements and customer expectations for environmental reporting, a consistent PCF approach is relevant both for material producers and for downstream links in the supply chain for plastic and other packaging materials.
Structure of the workshop programme
The workshop series was designed to combine setting strategic directions with technical clarification of the topics. The first meeting focused on introduction and definitions. It was a session for a broad audience, aimed at jointly defining the project objectives and establishing the basic scope of work on the PCF methodology.
In parallel, a continuous working group of Finat members was established, responsible for ongoing progress and refinement of technical aspects of the approach. This group served as a forum for detailed consultations, data exchange and verification of assumptions proposed during the subsequent thematic workshops.
The second meeting, dedicated to goal and scope definition, focused on refining the cradle-to-gate system boundaries and on setting out the key methodological principles. Attention centred on issues such as the range of processes to be included, allocation of emissions, data sources and the required level of detail in the analyses.
Modules: labelstock production and converting process
The third meeting offered an in-depth analysis of the first methodology module, covering labelstock manufacturing processes. Participants discussed the individual operations in the labelstock production chain, including preparation of the face material, adhesive layer and release liner, as well as the associated material and energy flows that should be reflected in the PCF calculations.
The fourth meeting focused on the second module, related to converting manufacturing processes, that is the stage where labelstock is transformed into the finished printed label. This part concentrated on defining process boundaries, relevant energy carriers, material consumption, production waste and other factors influencing the carbon footprint of this production stage.
The programme was delivered with the support of Sphera, a company specialised in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The involvement of LCA experts was intended to ensure that the methodology under development is aligned with recognised standards and good practice in environmental impact quantification.
Engagement across the entire value chain
The workshops brought together labelstock manufacturers, converters, material and technology suppliers, and stakeholders working directly with brand owners. The broad spectrum of participating organisations was consistent with Finat’s aim to make the process as inclusive as possible and to reflect different perspectives along the label value chain.
Participant feedback confirmed the perceived value of the initiative. Comments included: "It was a very good workshop, and the quality of the discussion showed how much knowledge was gathered around one table." Another participant emphasised: "Having representatives from different parts of the value chain at the same table was extremely valuable." It was also noted that "the collective know-how of the participants raised the level of the entire conversation."
This level of engagement indicates that the industry recognises the urgent need to harmonise approaches to sustainability reporting and carbon transparency. For companies operating in the label sector, this means the opportunity to reduce discrepancies in PCF results that today may stem from differing assumptions or data sources used by individual entities.
From discussion to tangible outcomes
The organisers underline that the workshops were not merely discussion forums. The conclusions developed during the series are expected to form the basis for the next concrete steps in building an industry-wide carbon footprint calculation scheme aligned with Finat guidelines. The aim is to convert the exchange of experience and knowledge into defined rules, guidance and tools that can be applied in practice by companies in the sector.
By facilitating structured dialogue, technical clarification and consensus-building, Finat positions itself as a platform on which the European and global label industry can jointly address sustainability challenges in a pragmatic and data-based manner. Harmonised PCF frameworks for labels may become part of broader efforts by the packaging industry to ensure transparent environmental reporting.
Importance of a harmonised PCF methodology for the industry
As regulatory pressure and customer requirements for sustainability reporting increase, the need for a credible and harmonised PCF approach in the label sector becomes critical. This applies both to requirements placed on material suppliers and to brand owners' expectations regarding transparency of environmental data for packaged products.
Within the workshop series, Finat is pursuing several goals. First, to enable methodological consistency across the value chain through common calculation rules. Second, to reduce duplication of effort by member companies that would otherwise have to develop their own PCF approaches individually. Third, to increase trust and transparency towards brand owners and regulators by providing more comparable carbon footprint data for label products. Fourth, to strengthen the label industry’s credibility in the field of sustainability.
The momentum generated during the workshops indicates that cooperation between entities from different segments of the value chain is not only possible but also effective. A shared PCF approach can help to facilitate future implementation of regulatory requirements and to respond to customer enquiries about the carbon footprint of products in which self-adhesive labels are an important component.
Finat announces that the workshop outcomes will be translated into practical guidance and follow-up actions in subsequent phases of the project. The objective is to ensure that the self-adhesive label industry maintains a leading position in approaches to sustainability and environmental transparency.
