PEF and OEF

Certimac calculates the environmental footprint of products and organizations to boost your competitiveness

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What are PEF and OEF?
PEF (Product Environmental Footprint) and OEF (Organisation Environmental Footprint) are methodologies developed by the European Commission to rigorously and comparably assess the environmental impact of products and organizations throughout their entire life cycle.

Introduced by Recommendation 2013/179/EU, they are based on the scientific Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach and aim to make environmental communication more transparent and reliable.
What is the difference between PEF and OEF?
PEF measures the environmental performance of a product or service—from raw material extraction to end-of-life—while OEF evaluates all input and output flows of an organization, assessing its overall environmental footprint. In principle, the sum of the PEFs of all products supplied by an organization over a given period should equal its OEF for the same period.
A scientific and codified approach based on Life Cycle Assessment
The PEF and OEF methodologies are based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach but enhance its effectiveness through specific rules by product category (PEFCR – Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules) and by sector (OEFSR – Organisation Environmental Footprint Sector Rules), minimum data quality requirements, and detailed guidelines for complex aspects such as allocation, recycling, and waste management.

This approach ensures reliable and comparable results at the European level, providing an in-depth analysis of environmental impact that supports financial planning and strategic decision-making. Moreover, the methodology enhances credibility with stakeholders, clients, investors, and public authorities, significantly reducing the risk of greenwashing thanks to verifiable, science-based communication.
Benefits of PEF and OEF for businesses
Adopting the PEF and OEF methodologies offers organizations a concrete opportunity to innovate, improve efficiency, and integrate sustainability into their processes.
Through a comprehensive life cycle analysis, it is possible to accurately identify key environmental hotspots, optimize product design and manufacturing processes, and transparently document the improvements achieved.

These tools support robust and verifiable environmental communication, strengthen credibility with stakeholders and investors, and facilitate access to public funding opportunities, sustainable finance pathways, and international supply chains. In a market increasingly driven by ESG criteria, they represent a true competitive advantage.
Who should consider PEF and OEF assessments?
PEF and OEF assessments are strategic tools for companies of all sectors and sizes that aim to measure, communicate, and improve their environmental performance.

They are particularly beneficial for companies that seek to:
  • Differentiate themselves with more sustainable products and services
  • Meet growing consumer demand for environmentally responsible practices
  • Optimize production processes while reducing costs and waste
  • Comply with emerging environmental regulations
  • Improve B2B communication with transparent and comparable environmental data
  • Attract sustainability-oriented investors
    • In short, PEF and OEF add value for forward-thinking companies that view sustainability as a growth and innovation opportunity.
    What does the process involve?
    PEF and OEF assessments and certifications require a structured methodological approach consisting of the following steps:

    1. Definition of study scope
    The first step is to clearly identify the object of the analysis—either a single product or service (for PEF) or the entire organization (for OEF). The functional unit (for products) or analysis area (for organizations) must also be defined to ensure consistent environmental impact quantification.

    2. Data collection
    This involves gathering both primary data—specific to the company and related to real processes such as energy consumption, raw materials, transport, and waste management—and secondary data from recognized databases compatible with European requirements.

    3. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) according to European technical rules
    The collected data are processed using LCA models to quantify environmental impacts across the full life cycle. The analysis must follow the European Commission’s guidelines. Where available, Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCRs) are applied for PEF and Organisation Environmental Footprint Sector Rules (OEFSRs) for OEF to ensure consistency, transparency, and comparability across similar products or sectors.

    4. Results interpretation
    The results are analyzed to identify key environmental impact hotspots. This step is crucial for developing improvement strategies and effectively reducing the environmental footprint.

    5. Technical report preparation
    All steps are documented in a structured technical report outlining the methodology, assumptions, results, and uncertainties. This report forms the basis for environmental communication and any third-party reviews.

    6. Independent verification (optional but recommended)
    To enhance the credibility of the study, it may be submitted for review by an independent third party. This external validation supports regulatory or commercial use of the assessment results.
    Our services for the assessment and certification of product and organization environmental footprints
    Certimac provides full and tailored support to public and private organizations in the evaluation and certification of Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) and Organisation Environmental Footprint (OEF), following the official methodology developed by the European Commission. We assist companies through all stages of the process, ensuring alignment with EU technical requirements and a rigorous, transparent, and improvement-oriented approach.

    Our services include:
  • Definition of objectives and scope in line with PEF/OEF rules
  • Data collection and analysis, with a focus on energy, material flows, and life cycle activities
  • Development of LCA studies using compliant environmental modeling tools
  • Interpretation of results, identification of environmental hotspots, and optimization strategies
  • Preparation of detailed technical reports for internal/external communication and third-party audits
  • Assistance during critical review and support for external verification
  • Development of an improvement plan that integrates with the company’s environmental management system and ESG strategy
    • Area
    sustainability
    Ask our expert
    Dott. Filippo Baioli
    Expert in environmental sustainability, LCA, CFP, EPD

    How we work

    Certimac’s environmental sustainability experts provide comprehensive and personalized support to public and private organizations in conducting PEF and OEF assessments using a rigorous, validated method.

    Discover the 5 steps of our approach:
    We start by clarifying the study objectives and defining the analysis boundaries: product or organization, time and geographic scope, inclusion criteria, and available data. A solid initial setup is key to ensuring the relevance and usefulness of the results.
    We support organizations in the systematic collection of life cycle data—energy and material consumption, emissions, transport, internal and external processes. Data quality and representativeness are validated to ensure consistency with European guidelines and Environmental Footprint (EF) database requirements.
    We perform Life Cycle Assessments using specialized software and models aligned with PEF/OEF methodologies. Where applicable, we apply PEFCR or OEFSR rules. Results are interpreted to identify environmental hotspots and provide strategic recommendations for impact reduction.
    We produce a detailed technical report ready for use in communications, ESG reporting, or third-party review. We assist through all phases of certification, including interactions with verification bodies.
    We support the implementation of impact reduction actions and the development of reliable, clear, and verifiable environmental communication—aligned with market and stakeholder expectations.

    Why choose us?

    Certimac, a Research Organization founded and supported by ENEA and CNR, offers a specialized approach to environmental footprint assessment—both for individual products (PEF) and for organizations (OEF). With the highest standards of independence, impartiality, and technical expertise, our team of environmental analysis experts rigorously applies European standards, ensuring reliable results that comply with the latest regulations.

    Our solid experience in applying the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology—the foundation of both PEF and OEF—allows us to provide a comprehensive service that goes beyond simply measuring environmental impacts. Our approach integrates multidisciplinary expertise in environmental engineering, chemistry, materials science, and circular economy, enabling us to analyze data thoroughly and accurately.

    Choosing Certimac means relying on a qualified partner capable of translating the complexity of the PEF/OEF methodologies into strategic opportunities. We support companies not only in assessing their environmental footprint, but also in accessing funding for sustainable innovation and strengthening their competitive positioning in a market increasingly driven by sustainability.

    Assessing the environmental footprint means actively contributing to the transition toward a more sustainable economy, reducing risks, and enhancing business resilience—positioning your organization as a leader in an environment where sustainability is becoming a key priority.

    Discover Certimac's other services dedicated to sustainability

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