IMPACT COLLECTIVE members' participating products must follow a set of standards that include:
Measurement
Brands must complete an Environmental Input-Output Life Cycle Analysis (EIO-LCA) to measure the carbon, energy, water, waste, and toxic impact throughout the supply chain for each participating product.
LCA Methodology & Database
IMPACT COLLECTIVE uses a EIO-LCA database, the only database in the world that provides both industry-technology and commodity technology model outputs and uncertainty characterizations. The database covers 2,700+ environmental exchanges by 400 industry sectors and commodities and the linkages between them across 170 countries.
The EIO-LCA database is utilized by companies worldwide for ESG reporting, leveraging GHG Protocol for scope 3 emissions, and accepted by CDP. The database assesses Cradle-to-Gate and is in compliance with ISO Standards: Required for LCA (ISO 14040 & 14044).
Annual Offsetting & Reductions
Each participating product must offset a minimum of 50% of their measured CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) emissions in at least one of the 4 environmental focus areas: carbon, plastic, water or energy.
IMPACT COLLECTIVE manages a portfolio of certified offset projects that meet all international and governing body standards and retires offsets on behalf of its members as outlined below.
Carbon
Industry-certified offsets are selected in alignment with the WRI criteria for offset projects from the following certification bodies: Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), Gold Standard, American Carbon Registry (ACR), CSA Group (GHG CleanProjects Registry), and Climate Action Reserve (CAR).
Offsets are purchased by PDI Sustainability Solutions for a specified amount of CO2e, as stipulated by the contract(s) between PDI and IMPACT COLLECTIVE members, based on provided unit sales, and then retired on the following publicly available registries: Verra Registry, Gold Standard, CSA Group (GHG CleanProjects Registry), American Carbon Registry (ACR), and Climate Action Reserve (CAR).
The percentage of emissions offset through carbon offsets is calculated by dividing the certified carbon offsets purchased and retired by PDI by the total value of CO2e generated by units sold using the IMPACT COLLECTIVE’s methodology.
Look for this seal on your products packaging for a participating IMPACT member that meets our carbon requirements!
Plastic
Plastic crediting projects provide a means of financing activities that verifiably reduce plastic in the environment beyond standard recycling efforts, creating additional innovation and incentives to address the plastic waste crisis.
These projects must follow specific third-party requirements and methodologies to generate plastic credits. Each credit represents one metric ton of plastic that has been collected and recycled.
PDI Sustainability Solutions purchases the plastic credits to offset a specified amount of plastic as stipulated by the contract(s) between PDI and based on provided unit sales. All applicable credits are then retired directly with the project's developer and verified with a certificate.
Look for this seal on your products packaging for a participating IMPACT member that meets our plastic requirements!
Water
Water offsetting projects encourage the conservation of vital water resources by generating Water Restoration Certificates (WRCs). Each WRC represents 1,000 gallons of water that are registered and protected. WRCs are purchased by PDI Sustainability Solutions for a specified amount of water as stipulated by the contract(s) between PDI and based on provided unit sales, and then retired on the IHS Markit Environmental Registry.
The amount of water offset through WRCs is calculated by dividing the WRCs purchased and retired by PDI by the total amount of water generated by units sold using the IMPACT COLLECTIVE’s methodology.
Look for this seal on your products packaging for a participating IMPACT member that meets our water requirements!
Renewable Energy
One Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) represents 1,000-kilowatt-hours (or 1-Megawatt-hour) of electricity that has been generated and delivered to the electricity grid from a renewable source.
RECs are purchased by PDI Sustainability Solutions for a specified amount of electricity demand as stipulated by the contract(s) between PDI and based on provided unit sales, and then retired on the North American Renewables Registry.
The amount of electricity that has been matched with RECs is calculated by dividing the RECs purchased and retired by PDI by the total amount of electricity demand calculated by units sold using the IMPACT COLLECTIVE’s methodology.
Look for this seal on your products packaging for a participating IMPACT member that meets our renewable energy requirements!
Documentation & Reporting
All unit sales and respective offsets and reductions utilized by the program are certified by PDI Sustainability Solutions in the first quarter of the following year for all clients and their products.
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