Tip: You can report IPCC 2021 climate results in parallel, but your primary table should follow EF 3.1 categories.
Who Typically Needs EF 3.1
- Suppliers responding to EU customer footprint requests
- Brands building comparable product dashboards for the EU market
- Universities teaching multi-category LCIA beyond carbon-only
- Enterprises preparing policy-ready evidence or pre-EPD analyses
EF 3.1 Compliance — Quick Checklist
Scope & Goal- Goal statement names EF 3.1 as the primary method
- Functional/declared unit and decision context (comparative or not) are explicit
- Boundary chosen (cradle-to-gate / cradle-to-grave) with any exclusions justified
- Primary (foreground) data listed with site, year, technology, representativeness
- Secondary (background) from EF-compatible databases; version noted
- Data Quality Indicators (temporal, geographical, technological) recorded for key flows
- Electricity mixes and markets match geography and year
- Allocation approach (cut-off, consequential, etc.) is stated and applied consistently
- Recycling modeled transparently (collection, sorting, reprocessing)
- Transport modes, distances, and load factors documented
- End-of-life routes and rates explicit; credits/loads beyond boundary treated correctly
- All required EF 3.1 categories computed for your audience
- Any non-EF (e.g., IPCC 2021) labeled supplemental, not mixed into EF tables
- Characterization factors correspond to the EF 3.1 version in use
- Results reported per functional/declared unit
- Contribution analysis identifies top stages/flows
- Assumptions, cut-offs, and data gaps disclosed
- Sensitivities/scenarios (e.g., recycled content, energy mix) summarized
- Internal QA: units, ranges, coverage checks passed
- Versioning captured (database versions, method IDs, data vintages)
- External review/verification plan defined if publishing outward
Step 1. Define Goal, Scope, and Unit
Name EF 3.1 as primary. Fix the functional/declared unit, boundary, geography, and study year. Avoid mid-study changes. Sustainly: Setup wizard locks EF 3.1, allocation, boundary, geography, and year. Save as a template.Step 2. Gather Foreground Data (Primary)
Collect metered energy, materials, yields/scrap, packaging, and transport for controlled/supplier steps. Record site, year, tech, source per line. Minimum schema (per unit): material kg, electricity kWh, fuels (MJ or kWh), transport km×mode, packaging g, waste routes, reporting year, site. Sustainly: CSV importer + AI mapping; automatic unit harmonization (g→kg, miles→km, BTU→MJ).Step 3. Map Background Data (Secondary)
Use EF-compatible datasets for materials, energy, and waste. Match region and technology; document proxies and vintages. Sustainly: Region/tech filters and suggestions; flags off-region picks.Step 4. Set Allocation & Recycling Rules
State allocation (e.g., cut-off). For recycled content and end-of-life, document collection, sorting, reprocessing, and any credits/loads beyond boundary. Sustainly: Project-level settings cascade; notes panel captures rules for reviewers.Step 5. Compute EF 3.1 Categories (Plus Optional IPCC)
Run EF 3.1 for the multi-category view (climate, resource use, acidification, eutrophication, photochemical ozone formation, water use, etc.). Optionally add IPCC 2021 climate as supplemental. Sustainly: One-click method switch; EF 3.1 and IPCC 2021 side by side without rebuild.Step 6. Contribution & Sensitivity Analyses
Identify top hotspots and test levers (recycled content, transport mode, energy mix, lifetime). Keep unit and boundary identical. Sustainly: Clone scenarios; export comparison + hotspot charts.Step 7. Report Results, Assumptions, and Data Quality
Publish an EF-aligned table per unit, hotspot narrative, and Data Quality note (primary vs secondary, vintages, representativeness). Disclose cut-offs, proxies, and limitations. Template note (copy-ready):Primary: 2024 metered electricity and process data at Brno site. Secondary: EU Environmental Footprint DB (vX); ecoinvent added for [flows]. Geography: EU; transport per logistics plan. Allocation: cut-off. Minor items
<1% mass/energy excluded and listed.
Sustainly: Exports include notes and versions automatically.
Common Pitfalls & Fast Fixes
- Mixing methods in one table → keep EF 3.1 tables pure; put IPCC 2021 elsewhere.
- Wrong region datasets → match geography/tech; document proxies.
- Only climate reported → EF is multi-category; include required categories.
- Unit inconsistencies → normalize to SI; run range checks.
- Missing end-of-life → specify routes/rates; avoid ad-hoc credits.
Mini Example: Packaging Change Under EF 3.1
Brand compares virgin PET vs rPET bottle bodies (EU). EF 3.1 shows climate/resource gains for rPET with a small trade-off elsewhere. Decision: move to rPET, rail where feasible, disclose trade-off note.FAQ
Can I submit only EF climate? No—report the full EF set; show IPCC climate separately if needed.What database do I need? Start with EU Environmental Footprint; add ecoinvent for gaps and document mix.
Do I need external verification? For public claims/EPD-adjacent comms, plan an external review.
How often to refresh? Annually or after material/energy/supplier changes.
Why Use Sustainly For EF 3.1
- EF 3.1 templates out-of-the-box
- AI mapping + unit harmonization
- Quick scenario cloning
- Parallel IPCC 2021 without rebuild
- Notes/sources/versioning preserved in exports; SSO/2FA collaboration