Unlike carbon footprint, which focuses on negative climate impacts, carbon handprint describes how we can help mitigate climate change. A positive carbon handprint arises when a solution provided by a company reduces the footprint of others – typically their customers. In contrast, actions taken to reduce one’s own footprint do not increase the company’s positive handprint.
Recently, the goal of increasing a positive handprint has been set both at national level in Finland and in the export industry. The Climate Leadership Coalition (CLC) and Business Finland, among others, have been strongly promoting carbon handprint research and development. They have also been encouraging companies to strive for a bigger handprint.
Standards-based handprint methodology developed in Finland
Finland is a pioneer in the development of handprint calculation methods. One of Europe’s leading research institutions, Finnish state owned VTT and LUT University introduced the carbon handprint calculation methodology in autumn 2018. Since then, the handprint methodology has been extended to include other positive environmental impacts in addition to climate impacts.
The carbon handprint can be calculated for a single product or service. The calculation methodology is based on the requirements of the standard for determining the carbon footprint of a product (ISO 14067). The positive climate impact of the whole company can be determined by putting together the handprints of the products manufactured by the company.
A positive carbon handprint can be achieved by improving energy or material efficiency, for example, or by replacing fossil fuels with renewable ones.
Carbon handprint is based on carbon footprint calculation
Carbon footprint information is an essential part of the carbon handprint calculation. The handprint of a product – or a raw material, fuel, process, or service – is calculated as the difference between two carbon footprints. When the solution offered by a company has a lower carbon footprint than the so called baseline solution, a positive carbon handprint is created.
The choice of baseline solution depends on whether the product is a replacement for another solution on the market or whether it is completely new. The baseline can be either a situation without the product, a commonly used product, a market leader, an average product in the given market or a so-called best available technology (BAT) solution. The baseline can also be a product currently manufactured by the company and still on the market. The correct choice of baseline is crucial for the reliability of the calculation result. Another reason for its importance is the environmental claims presented based on them.
Unlike the carbon footprint which can be determined unambiguously, the carbon handprint can be different depending on the situation. For example, the same more advanced product can substitute different solutions in different markets. Therefore, in each case, the handprint is determined by comparing the product to the relevant baseline.
Increasing of carbon handprint as a strategic objective
A company can choose to focus not only on reducing its footprint but also on increasing its positive handprint. This will then have a significant impact on the company’s operations and development potential. Potential emission reduction measures are often sought outside the company. However the carbon handprint increases when a company focuses strongly on its own processes, innovation, and product development. Own emission reduction measures are often assessed from a cost-effectiveness perspective. However the potential of new, more climate-friendly solutions for customers can be assessed in terms of their market potential. As well as the strengthening of the company’s competitive advantage.
When a company’s strategic objective is to increase its positive climate impact, strategy is closely linked to business growth. The wider the market to which these solutions can be sold, the larger the company’s positive handprint will be. And increasing your positive handprint is also a much more psychologically inspiring goal than reducing your own footprint.
OpenCO2net offers its customers tools and consulting services to determine carbon footprints and carbon handprints and to implement emission reductions. The OpenCO2net carbon footprint platform’s paid services provide you with a comprehensive toolkit that includes carbon footprint and carbon handprint calculators as well as an extensive and reliable emissions database.
