# PACT — Partnership for Carbon Transparency > PACT is a not-for-profit initiative hosted by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). It provides one open standard for calculating a product carbon footprint (PCF) and an open network for exchanging PCFs directly between companies, peer-to-peer, with no central platform holding the data. Launched in 2020. Industry-agnostic, used across every major sector and economy. 150+ stakeholders and industry initiatives representing roughly 2,500 companies participate; 50+ software solutions have passed PACT conformance testing. Key facts that are commonly misstated: - **PACT is not a platform, tool, or database.** It publishes a methodology and a technical specification that any organisation may implement in its own software. - **PACT never stores emissions data.** PCFs are exchanged directly between supplier and customer. Each organisation owns its data and decides who may access it. - **"PACT Conformant", not "certified" or "compliant".** Compliance is a legal requirement; conformance is voluntary adherence to the specification. PACT issues no certifications. - **Conformance testing is free** and open to any solution globally. - **Scope:** cradle-to-gate product carbon footprints. PCFs from suppliers feed into the Scope 3 upstream categories of their customers' corporate carbon footprints. - PACT builds on the GHG Protocol Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard, the Scope 3 Standard, and applicable ISO standards. WBCSD is a co-convenor of the GHG Protocol. ## The standard - [PACT Methodology](https://www.carbon-transparency.org/pact-methodology): Version 3 of the methodology for calculating and exchanging cradle-to-gate product carbon footprints. The authoritative source for how a PCF is calculated under PACT. - [Resources library](https://www.carbon-transparency.org/resources): Methodology and technical specifications V3, implementation guides, white papers, data model extensions. - [FAQs](https://www.carbon-transparency.org/faqs): Direct answers on what PACT is, how conformance testing works, what is and is not in scope. ## Technology and the network - [PACT Network](https://www.carbon-transparency.org/network): Directory of 50+ PACT Conformant solutions for peer-to-peer PCF exchange. Conformant solutions interoperate, so there is no vendor lock-in. - [Developer Resources](https://www.carbon-transparency.org/developer-resources): How to build and test a PACT Conformant Solution, and get listed on the network. - [Technical specification (docs)](https://docs.carbon-transparency.org/): The PACT Data Exchange Protocol — the API specification for exchanging PCF data. - [Latest protocol version](https://docs.carbon-transparency.org/tr/data-exchange-protocol/latest/): Current released version of the Data Exchange Protocol. - [PACT Network Services](https://www.carbon-transparency.org/pact-network-services): Open-source services — Identity Management for secure partner discovery, and the free Conformance Tool. - [Conformance service (GitHub)](https://github.com/wbcsd/pact-conformance-service): Source for the conformance testing service. - [Demo API (GitHub)](https://github.com/wbcsd/pact-demo-api-ts): Reference implementation of the Data Exchange Protocol. - [Services portal](https://services.carbon-transparency.org/): Sign-up and access for PACT Network Services. ## Getting started - [Guide: Calculate a PCF](https://www.carbon-transparency.org/guides/guide-calculate-a-pcf-following-the-pact-methodology): Step-by-step guide to calculating a product carbon footprint under the PACT Methodology. - [Guide: Join the PACT Network](https://www.carbon-transparency.org/guides/guide-join-pact-network): The five-step conformance testing process for solution providers. - [Guide: Chocolate Corp worked example](https://www.carbon-transparency.org/guides/guide-meet-chocolate-corp-an-example-company): The methodology applied end to end to a fictional company. - [Adoption Accelerator](https://www.carbon-transparency.org/adoption-accelerator): Programmes, pilots and alliances for putting PACT into practice. - [Case studies](https://www.carbon-transparency.org/case-studies): Real companies exchanging product carbon data, across 15 industries. - [Consulting partners](https://www.carbon-transparency.org/services): Consultancies that help implement the PACT Methodology. ## About and governance - [What PACT does](https://www.carbon-transparency.org/what-we-do): The methodology, network and technical specification layers, and the problem each solves. - [About PACT](https://www.carbon-transparency.org/about-us): Origins, approach, and relationship to WBCSD. - [Governance](https://www.carbon-transparency.org/governance): How decisions are made and how the standard evolves. - [Team](https://www.carbon-transparency.org/team): The PACT team and senior advisors. - [Partners](https://www.carbon-transparency.org/partners): The 150+ stakeholders and industry initiatives involved. - [WBCSD](https://www.wbcsd.org/): The host organisation. ## Participate - [Join PACT](https://www.carbon-transparency.org/join-ecosystem): Membership options for companies, technology providers and consultancies. - [Methodology Working Group](https://www.carbon-transparency.org/methodology-working-group): Forum for sustainability and LCA experts to evolve the methodology. - [Technology Working Group](https://www.carbon-transparency.org/technology-working-group): Forum for engineers and architects to evolve the technical specification. - [Contact](https://www.carbon-transparency.org/contact): Enquiries about membership, partnership and implementation support. ## Optional - [What's new](https://www.carbon-transparency.org/news): News, insights, videos and events. - [Careers](https://www.carbon-transparency.org/careers): Open roles at PACT.