---
title: Why do my ingredients come back differently?
description: Sometimes the PS Impact Score uses a substitute value, or a proxy. Find out why this is done, how it is chosen and what you can do with it.
---
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# Why do my ingredients come back differently?
## An explanation of proxies: what they are, why they are used and what you can do about them.
In My PS, you can see for each product which ingredients were sent and which were used in the calculation. Sometimes these differ, for example in name, percentage or country of origin. This is usually due to a proxy. In this article, we explain what a proxy is, why it’s used and what you can do about it yourself.
### What is a proxy?
The PS Impact Score is calculated by our calculation partner HowGood, using a large database of ingredients and countries of origin. If your ingredient, or the combination of ingredient and country, isn’t in that database, HowGood calculates with the most comparable data that is available. We call this substitute value a proxy.
**Good to know:** ingredients are matched on their English name. If a name isn’t recognised, the system chooses an ingredient with a similar name or spelling. Here are two examples from practice:
- **“Rapeseed oil” is matched to “canola oil”.** These are essentially the same crop, so the score remains accurate.
- **“Oat flak”, a typo for “oat flakes”, is matched to “veal flank”, a cut of veal.** A product containing oat flakes then gets the footprint of meat, and its CO₂ score shoots up. The correct term “oat flakes” is in the list, but because of two missing letters, a different ingredient is chosen.
Do you see an unexpectedly high score like this? Then check the English names of your ingredients first.
### Your input stays unchanged
What you enter in Data Entry stays unchanged. The proxy is only used for the calculation. In My PS, you can see side by side what was sent and what was used in the calculation, so you can always check this yourself. You can read how this works in [How can I see which data was used to calculate my score?](https://support.psinfoodservice.com/en/how-can-i-see-which-data-was-used-to-calculate-my-score?hsLang=en)
### Why are proxies used?
No database contains every ingredient from every country, so proxies are common when calculating a carbon footprint. The GHG Protocol, the international standard for calculating greenhouse gas emissions, defines proxy data as data from a similar activity that is used in place of the activity you actually want to measure. According to the GHG Protocol, proxy data may be used to fill data gaps, as long as data quality improves over time. In practice, this means it pays to complete your data.
### How does HowGood choose a proxy?
Each ingredient in the database has a default country of origin with an average profile. If you enter more specific data, it replaces the default values. If there is no exact match, HowGood looks for the most comparable data in this order:
1. A related crop from the same region.
2. A similar product from the same region.
3. The same product from a different region, as a last resort.
### How reliable is a score with proxies?
HowGood’s calculation method is certified by the Carbon Trust. The principle is that you don’t need to wait for the most detailed data to gain insight: you work with the best information available now and refine it over time. The more complete and specific your input, the fewer proxies are needed and the better the score reflects your product.
HowGood is continuously expanding the database, so that fewer proxies are needed for countries of origin. You can read how to request a new combination of ingredient and country yourself in [What do I do if an ingredient or country is missing from the PS Impact Score?](https://support.psinfoodservice.com/en/what-do-i-do-if-an-ingredient-or-country-is-missing-from-the-ps-impact-score?hsLang=en)
### Who does what?
- **You provide the input.** You enter ingredients, internal percentages and countries of origin as completely and accurately as possible via Data Entry.
- **HowGood calculates the score.** HowGood determines the calculation method, including the choice of proxies.
- **PS makes it transparent.** We pass your data on to HowGood and show in My PS which data was used in the calculation.
### Frequently asked questions
**Will my data be changed?**
No. Your input in Data Entry stays unchanged. For the calculation, your input is matched to the most suitable data in the database, and you can see this in My PS.
**Can I share this explanation with my customers?**
Yes, you can share this article and the sources below. They explain how proxies are chosen and which standard the method is based on.
**Will the score change if I add more data later?**
Yes. More specific data replaces the default values. You can read how to do this in [How can I avoid unnecessary proxies in the PS Impact Score?](https://support.psinfoodservice.com/en/how-can-i-avoid-unnecessary-proxies-in-the-ps-impact-score?hsLang=en)
### Sources
- [GHG Protocol: Technical Guidance for Calculating Scope 3 Emissions](https://ghgprotocol.org/sites/default/files/standards/Scope3_Calculation_Guidance_0.pdf)
- [HowGood: Data Methodology](https://latis-help.howgood.com/en/articles/5942077-data-methodology)
- [HowGood: Carbon Trust Certification](https://latis-help.howgood.com/en/articles/9251904-carbon-trust-certification)
### Need help?
Do you have questions about a product’s score? We’re happy to help. Email us at [support@psinfoodservice.com](mailto:support@psinfoodservice.com).
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