TACK stands for Tape and Adhesive Calculation Kit. Launched in May 2025, the PCF calculation tool has been jointly developed by Afera – The European Adhesive Tape Association and the German Adhesives Association, Industrieverband Klebstoffe e.V. (IVK).

TACK is a web-based tool that empowers manufacturers, converters and raw material suppliers to assess environmental impact with transparent, standardised methodologies aligned with ISO 14067 and TfS PCF guidelines. Designed by Sphera, the user‑friendly tool provides access to a high‑quality, curated database, enabling users without LCA expertise to generate accurate PCF values with confidence.

TACK helps meet growing sustainability reporting demands by providing a standardised, transparent, and industry‑aligned method for calculating Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs). It is built to support upcoming EU regulations and broader climate‑reporting expectations by giving manufacturers a consistent framework for measuring cradle‑to‑gate greenhouse gas emissions.

The third-party verified tool is aligned with ISO 14040 and ISO 14067 standards, as well as the Together for Sustainability (TfS) PCF guidelines. This alignment ensures that the PCF results generated through TACK are credible, comparable, and suitable for use in regulatory disclosures, customer reporting, and voluntary sustainability initiatives.

By streamlining data collection and calculation, TACK enables companies across the adhesive and tape value chain to produce reliable, repeatable PCF results, strengthening the quality and transparency of their sustainability reporting.

Yes. To increase the credibility of self-declaration of carbon indicators for adhesive and tape products, Afera and IVK engaged DEKRA Assurance Services GmbH, a highly regarded auditing firm. As part of the third-party verification process, DEKRA conducted a pre-verification of the software model and the correct functionality of the web-based tools. Furthermore, DEKRA evaluated the documentation and software tool against the TfS PCF Guideline, providing a comprehensive review report.

Yes. TACK’s calculation methodology and tool functionality are already third‑party verified. Any additional verification applies only to the data you enter, and a qualified third‑party verifier can complete this step with relative ease.  

Yes. Members of Afera and IVK can obtain a license to access TACK, a collaboratively developed tool designed to ensure accessibility and affordability for both new and existing members. More than 80 Afera and IVK members played an integral role in TACK’s development by participating in scoping exercises, workshops, and discussions. Developing the tool as a group resulted in it being more cost-effective than doing it as individual companies.

Access to TACK requires contributions beyond the standard Afera Membership fee: a €5K one-time development fee and a yearly licensing fee for unlimited access to the TACK online platform. The costs also apply to all new users of the tool down the line, i.e. those who join Afera in the future. Licensing fee pricing is available upon request. Reach out to us at mail@afera.com for more information.

The first step is to fill in this form, which contains information about the purchase order process.

Access to TACK requires contributions beyond the standard Afera Membership fee: a €5K one-time development fee and a yearly licensing fee for unlimited access to the TACK online platform. The costs also apply to all new users of the tool down the line, i.e. those who join Afera in the future. Licensing fee pricing is available upon request. Reach out to us at mail@afera.com for more information.

Together with the delivery of the tool, Sphera has also developed training documents and videos, which users can review to understand how the tool works. Further, attempts to secure trial licenses to access TACK are ongoing. In the meantime, member companies can opt for extended demos, where they submit product data and view PCF calculations live. Two member companies have completed a demo with positive feedback. Reach out to us at mail@afera.com for more information.

For companies that already have a license to Sphera's "LCA Calculator" tool, the license for the use of TACK is at a discounted price. The fees for subsequent years depend on the duration of the agreement (1, 3 or 5 years) a member company enters with Sphera.

TACK will be updated periodically to incorporate critical updates such as inclusion of new raw materials and generic formulations, alignment with latest versions of TfS PCF guidelines, and revision of underlying secondary database.

Afera and IVK are currently working to define the scope and priorities for the next maintenance update of TACK. Based on discussions with member companies using the tool, a list of priorities has been prepared and will be finalised soon. The goal is to initiate the update early next year for a targeted release of the new updated version of TACK before summer 2026.

The packaging of the raw materials was not considered part of the scope of raw materials. Only the raw materials used in the manufacturing are considered, and the packaging of the manufactured product. According to the TfS guidelines, the packaging on input materials is optional.

During the development of TACK, it was assumed that most of the chemicals are supplied in bulk, and the contribution of the packaging would be small. That is also mentioned in the TfS guidelines.

Afera collected feedback from users of the tool on July-September 2025. The suggestions will be discussed and considered during the upcoming revision of the tool.

The tool will be updated on a regular basis to ensure it is aligned with the current guidelines, regulatory and industry requirements. We encourage you to share your valuable feedback to ensure the tool is robust and continues to support your sustainability reporting requirements.

You can provide feedback by e-mail anytime to afsp@afera.com .

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