The Chemical Footprint Project

What The Chemical Footprint Project does

The Chemical Footprint Project (CFP) is a nonprofit benchmarking initiative administered by Clean Production Action, a 501(c)(3) organization, co-founded in 2014 with the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and Pure Strategies. Its core product is the CFP Survey — a 19-question assessment that scores corporate chemicals management systems across four pillars (Management Strategy, Chemical Inventory, Footprint Measurement, and Public Disclosure and Verification) up to 105 points. Supporting assets include the CFP Chemicals of High Concern (CoHC) Reference List aggregating approximately 2,220 chemicals from 14 authoritative lists, module-specific guidance documents and scoring rubrics (PDF/XLS), and a verifier program for third-party validation. The 2025 cycle introduced specialized Product, Manufacturing, and Packaging modules, and a dedicated Solar Sector track extends the framework into renewable-energy procurement.

CFP serves four primary stakeholder groups: brands, manufacturers, and retailers that complete the survey to benchmark and demonstrate leadership; investors and asset managers representing over $2.3 trillion in AUM (2016 data) who use the framework for ESG evaluation; large-scale purchasers and healthcare organizations that leverage CFP for supplier evaluation; and NGOs and government entities that advocate adoption. Named enterprise participants include Walmart, Whole Foods Market, Clorox, HP Inc., Reckitt, Beautycounter, Ecolab, MillerKnoll, Naturepedic, Dignity Health, and Radio Flyer. The 7th Annual Report (December 2024) recognized 12 Frontrunners and 13 Disclosure Leaders and documented 132.9 million pounds (60.3 million kg) of chemicals of high concern reduced by companies with $1.2 trillion in aggregate annual revenue across six sectors.

The initiative operates on a free-participation, donation- and grant-funded model: there is no cost for signatories or survey responders. Its go-to-market blends event-driven and community-led motions — annual report releases, educational webinars, the BizNGO Annual Conference, and pull-through demand from investor, retailer, and purchaser signatories who encourage companies in their sphere of influence to participate. CPA has positioned CFP as a contributor to the UN Global Framework on Chemicals, presenting at OECD/UN workshops in Paris (January 2023) and advocating for reduction targets of 50% by 2030 and zero by 2040 at ICCM5 in Bonn (September 2023).

Name

The Chemical Footprint Project

Legal name

Clean Production Action

Website

https://chemicalfootprint.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Chemical Footprint Project is a nonprofit benchmarking initiative that helps brands, manufacturers, and retailers measure and disclose progress on safer chemicals management through a standardized survey, chemical footprint metric, and annual benchmarking reports.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability and Chemicals Management Assessment

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

akta.pro primary industry

Chemical Management & Toxic Substances Compliance (TSCA, REACH, GHS/SDS, PFAS Programs) (EUAHABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

ESG/Sustainability Reporting & Disclosure Platforms (EUABAEAB), Benchmarking, Ratings & Stakeholder Reporting Portals (Scorecards, Dashboards) (EUABAEAJ), Audit-Ready Controls, Assurance & Compliance Workflow Tools (CSRD/SEC/ISSB) (EUABAEAG)

Keywords

• Chemicals management benchmarking
• Corporate sustainability assessment
• Safer chemicals initiative
• Chemical footprint measurement
• Sustainability survey services

Headquarters

HQ city

Somerville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Nonprofit operations (no direct revenue): The Chemical Footprint Project is a nonprofit initiative operated by Clean Production Action, a 501(c)(3) organization. Participation in the CFP Survey is free. The project is funded through donations and grants. There is no cost to be a Signatory or Responder.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Chemical Footprint Project is a nonprofit initiative that operates a survey-based benchmarking framework for evaluating corporate chemicals management systems. The core offering is the CFP Survey, a 19-question assessment tool that scores companies across four pillars: Management Strategy, Chemical Inventory, Footprint Measurement, and Public Disclosure and Verification. It enables manufacturers, brands, and retailers to quantify their use of chemicals of high concern and benchmark progress against industry peers.

Product overview

The Chemical Footprint Project (CFP) is a benchmarking and assessment initiative rather than a traditional software product. At its core is the CFP Survey, a comprehensive assessment tool for manufacturers, brands, and retailers to evaluate chemical management practices across four pillars: Management Strategy, Chemical Inventory, Footprint Measurement, and Disclosure & Verification. The 2025 Survey offers three specialized modules (Product, Manufacturing, Packaging) to address different business operations. Supporting products include the CFP CoHC Reference List (~2,220 chemicals), guidance documents and scoring rubrics in PDF/XLS formats, annual benchmark reports, a verifier program for third-party validation, recognition awards (Frontrunner and Disclosure Leader), and educational webinars. The project tracks corporate progress toward safer chemicals aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CFP Survey A comprehensive assessment tool for product manufacturers, brands, and retailers to evaluate their chemical management practices. The Survey consists of 19 questions with a total possible score of 105 points across four pillars: Management Strategy, Chemical Inventory, Footprint Measurement, and Public Disclosure and Verification.
• 2025 CFP Survey Modules (Product, Manufacturing, Packaging) Specialized survey modules that extend the core CFP Survey to address distinct aspects of chemicals management for organizations with product sales, manufacturing operations, or packaging materials. Each module targets a specific operational area of corporate chemicals stewardship.
• CFP Chemicals of High Concern (CoHC) Reference List A reference list of approximately 2,220 chemicals and chemical groups classified as chemicals of high concern to human health and the environment, compiled from 14 authoritative government and NGO lists. Survey responders use it to calculate their chemical footprint by mass or count.
• CFP Verifier Program A program engaging third-party verification organizations that review and verify CFP Survey responses and documentation prior to submission, providing additional credibility to survey results for participating companies.
• CFP Annual Benchmark Reports Annual reports published by Clean Production Action documenting survey results, chemical footprint reductions achieved by participating companies, and industry benchmarks for chemicals management performance across sectors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Companies with $1.2 trillion in revenue reduced 132.9 million pounds of chemicals of high concern
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• Clean Production ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClean Production Action (CPA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, administers the Chemical Footprint Project. CPA designs and delivers strategic solutions for green chemicals, sustainable materials and environmentally preferable products. Their tools include GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals and CFP.
• Lowell Center for Sustainable Production at University of Massachusetts LowellcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Lowell Center for Sustainable Production co-founded the CFP and provides strategic and technical guidance to the project. Dr. Sally Edwards, Senior Research Associate, is a co-founder of CFP and facilitates the Green Chemistry and Commerce Council's Retailer Leadership Council.
• Pure StrategiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPure Strategies, led by Tim Greiner (Co-Founder and Managing Director), co-founded the Chemical Footprint Project and provides strategic and technical guidance. They consult with manufacturers, brands, and environmental groups on sustainable products.
• Investor Environmental Health Network (IEHN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIEHN is a collaborative network of investors working to advance safer chemicals. Alexandra McPherson serves as Director of IEHN and worked on the UN Global Framework on Chemicals. IEHN engages corporations on chemical management policies and the transition to safer chemistry.
• BizNGOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBizNGO is a collaboration of businesses and NGOs working to shift the economy toward safer chemicals. CPA facilitates BizNGO, which provides platforms for practitioners and thought leaders. The BizNGO Guide to Safer Chemicals influenced CFP development.
• Center for Environmental Health (CEH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEH co-hosts the BizNGO Annual Meeting with CPA. CEH and CPA have decades of collaboration accelerating the movement to safer solutions in health care, electronics, furniture, fabrics, and food service ware.
• United Nations (UN) and OECDstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPA participated in OECD and UN-hosted workshops on chemicals management (January 2023, Paris). CFP methodology was presented to international policy experts. Outcomes feed into the UN Global Framework on Chemicals and ICCM5.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• UL Solutions (formerly UL Environment): Provides product sustainability certification, chemical safety testing, and standards (e.g., ECVP, SPOT). UL's broader portfolio overlaps with CFP's chemical assessment and benchmarking work, but as part of a much wider testing and certification ecosystem.
• Sphera (formerly thinkstep): Enterprise ESG, product stewardship, and chemical compliance software platform. Sphera's product sustainability and chemicals management modules address similar buyer needs to CFP, with a much larger commercial footprint and broader software suite.
• Workiva: Cloud-based platform for ESG, sustainability, and regulatory reporting. While not a chemical-management specialist, Workiva increasingly serves as the system of record for ESG disclosures that include CFP-style chemicals data, putting it in indirect competition and complement.

Direct peers

• Pure Strategies: Co-founder of CFP and a sustainability consultancy that helps manufacturers and brands build safer-chemicals programs. Operates as both a strategic partner and a commercial consultant offering competing/adjacent services for the same buyer personas.
• EcoVadis: A leading sustainability ratings platform that scores suppliers on environment, labor, ethics, and sustainable procurement. EcoVadis overlaps with CFP in evaluating corporate chemicals management and is increasingly used by large purchasers for supplier screening — the same use case CFP serves.
• CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project): Runs global disclosure systems for environmental impacts (climate, water, forests) and is widely used by investors and procurement organizations. CFP addresses a similar stakeholder-disclosure problem in chemicals management and competes for the same investor/purchaser attention.
• ChemFORWARD: Maintains a curated chemical hazard database and offers Safer Choice certification for chemicals used in products. Both organizations provide standardized chemical assessment frameworks used by manufacturers to benchmark and disclose safer chemistry practices.
• GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals: Sibling tool also administered by Clean Production Action. GreenScreen benchmarks chemical hazard assessments using a transparent methodology; CFP uses GreenScreen principles for its Chemicals of High Concern list, making the two directly complementary and the most natural peer for CFP.

Emerging players

• Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi): Provides target-setting methodologies and validation for corporate climate and nature commitments. SBTi's chemicals-and-nature work is a potential adjacent framework that could either complement or compete with CFP's chemical footprint reduction targets.
• B Lab (B Corp Certification): Certifies companies on social and environmental performance, including chemical management practices. Both initiatives reward disclosed leadership, but B Corp certification is broader and bypasses the granular chemical-footprint benchmarking that CFP specializes in.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CleanProAct
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clean-production-action

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Chemical Footprint Project