eco2nboard: The transparent CO2 footprint now also available in Sweden

For some time now, eco2nboard, our product-level CO₂ footprint calculations, has also been leaving its mark at Uddeholm in Sweden. With the external validation of the systematic calculation method, we have reached another important milestone in providing our customers with the best possible support for their sustainability commitments.

Given the growing global importance of climate protection and sustainability, customers in the steel industry are increasingly demanding greater transparency regarding the climate impact of steel along the entire value chain. Interest in low-emission or emission-reduced steel products is therefore also growing. With our “inSPire” framework, we at the High Performance Metals Division (HPM) have been working to integrate all pillars of sustainability into our daily operations for quite some time already. This commitment to sustainability also led us to develop the first prototype of eco2nboard, which serves as a framework for the systematic evaluation and transparent communication of our sustainability-related performance indicators with customers. In 2023, voestalpine BÖHLER Edelstahl became the first subsidiary to successfully obtain the first external verification statement for CO₂ footprint calculation within the framework of eco2nboard. In 2025, it was Uddeholm’s turn in Sweden.

ECO2NBOARD: THAT’S HOW THE CO₂ FOOTPRINT CALCULATION WORKS

Like us, our customers are placing increasing value on sustainability and are actively working to achieve their sustainability and decarbonization goals. It is therefore crucial for our customers to know what emissions are contained in the products they buy. With eco2nboard, we offer them exactly this transparency. Since 2021, we have been working intensively with eco2nboard to develop a (partially) standardized automated CO₂ footprint calculation at product level. With eco2nboard, we can now evaluate the environmental impact of HPM products even better and make this information available to our customers in a transparent manner. eco2nboard comprises a system for providing customers with relevant data on specific aspects of sustainability quickly and clearly. eco2nboard brings together expert knowledge and relevant data from specialist areas and bundles it. For eco2nboard, we have defined and processed which emissions, key figures, and processes are particularly relevant for the sustainability assessment of our products in accordance with recognized standards. Based on this comprehensive data, eco2nboard provides our customers with the complete carbon footprint of our products “cradle-to-gate,” i.e., from the extraction of raw materials to the finished product leaving the factory.

SUSTAINABILITY PIONEER UDDEHOLM

Following its successful initial implementation at voestalpine BÖHLER Edelstahl, our CO₂ footprint calculation finally made its way to Sweden. This was a logical next step, as Uddeholm, a member of the voestalpine Group, is not only the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality tool steel for industrial tools, but also a pioneer in sustainability. The company has long pursued its sustainability mission through targeted, measurable measures to meet the needs of current and future generations. For example, Uddeholm has reduced its fossil CO₂ emissions by 70% since 1990.

A COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF EMISSIONS

In close collaboration between Uddeholm and inSPire Sustainable Business Solutions, eco2nboard was developed to provide a transparent and externally verified CO₂ footprint calculation. The eco2nboard PCF methodology at Uddeholm was developed with the aim of enabling a standardized and automatic calculation of the total carbon emissions associated with its products. Within Uddeholm, eco2nboard is known as Uddeholm Footprint™. To implement the system, intensive considerations were made, systems were analyzed, and data was collected. Here, too, the cradle-to-gate approach was used to check the relevance of all relevant emissions within the entire upstream value chain, from the company’s own operations to the point of leaving the factory. This includes, for example, the extraction of raw materials, transport to the company, and the company’s production-related emissions. The emissions of the relevant materials were then calculated, and the footprint was mapped in eco2nboard. Only emissions that have a negligible impact or are not related to the product were excluded from the calculation.

VALID DATA, SUCCESSFUL CALCULATION

Compiling the necessary data and information from many different areas is an enormously complex task, but one that is also of the utmost importance. Valid data is crucial for the quality of the footprint calculation, as HPM Sustainable Business Analyst Stefan Schwingenschlögl explains: “The ongoing improvement of data quality and the continuous optimization of the system are the cornerstones of eco2nboard.” After more than a year of preparation, the external validation of the eco2nboard implementation for Uddeholm was completed in early 2025. An independent body – Daxner & Merl GmbH – tested this systematic approach for compliance with the requirements of ISO 14040, ISO 14044, and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol – Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard.

UNRAVELED: SCOPE EMISSIONS

Greenhouse gas emissions are divided into three categories or “scopes” according to the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol. In the specific implementation of eco2nboard, the following emissions are taken into account in the respective scopes:

• Scope 1: Direct emissions from own or controlled sources. This includes all emissions generated during the manufacture of products. In this calculation, Scope 1 primarily covers the combustion of natural gas and process emissions from electric arc furnaces in steelworks.
• Scope 2: This includes indirect CO₂ emissions from electricity generation for purchased electrical energy.
• Scope 3: This includes all other relevant indirect emissions that arise in the company’s upstream value chain. This includes, among other things, the share of emissions emitted by suppliers, for example, to produce raw materials, or by logistics service providers for transport.

WORKING TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE EMISSION TARGETS

eco2nboard also helps us reduce the carbon footprint of our products at Uddeholm, thereby supporting our customers in reducing their own carbon footprint by choosing Uddeholm products. “We at Uddeholm and our customers have already benefited significantly from eco2nboard, which has also created new business opportunities. It provides answers to the most frequently asked questions about environmental sustainability, especially those relating to the carbon footprint,” says Henrik Olausson, eco2nboard project manager at Uddeholm.

CURIOUS?

If you would like more information about eco2nboard at Uddeholm or have any questions, please contact Henrik Olausson (henrik.olausson@uddeholm.com), who is primarily responsible for the eco2nboard project at Uddeholm.