Scope 1: Direct Emissions
Direct emissions are from sources owned or controlled by the company.
Activity-based data:
Fuel consumption:
Natural gas usage (m³ or kWh) for heating.
Diesel, gasoline, LPG, or other fuels consumed in company-owned vehicles (liters or kg).
Fuel used in stationary equipment, e.g., generators, boilers, or industrial machinery.
Refrigerant usage:
Type and quantity of refrigerants used in HVAC systems (kg, L, m3).
Refrigerant leakage rates and recharge amounts.
On-site processes:
Emissions from on-site chemical reactions or industrial processes (e.g., CO₂ from cement production).
Fugitive emissions:
Methane or other gas emissions from leaks in pipelines or equipment.
Emissions from wastewater treatment facilities.
Financial data:
Utility bills for natural gas and fuel purchases.
Maintenance records for refrigerant systems (e.g., costs for refrigerant recharge).
Scope 2: Indirect emissions from purchased energy
These emissions arise from the consumption of purchased electricity, steam, heating, or cooling.
Activity-based data:
Electricity consumption:
Total electricity purchased (kWh).
Breakdown of electricity use by department or facility.
Energy mix:
Proportion of electricity from renewable versus non-renewable sources (if known from suppliers).
Regional grid emission factors for electricity.
Purchased steam/heat/cooling:
Quantities of district heating or cooling (kWh, MJ).
Fuel source for purchased thermal energy (if available).
Financial data:
Invoices for electricity, heating, and cooling utilities.
Cost data for renewable energy credits (if applicable).
Scope 3: Indirect emissions in the value chain
These include emissions from upstream and downstream activities not owned or controlled by the company.
Choosing between financial and activity-based data
Choosing between financial and activity-based data
Financial data:
Use financial data when:You lack detailed activity data for a specific category.
Procurement records or expense reports are readily available.
Example: Estimating emissions from purchased goods by entering the spend amount, with the platform applying default emission factors.
Tip: This method is faster but less accurate. Use it as a starting point or fallback option.
Activity-based data:
Use activity-based data when:You have access to physical metrics such as weight (kg/tons), distance (km), or volume (L).
Greater accuracy is needed for critical categories like transportation or purchased materials.
Example: Entering the total kilometers traveled for third-party logistics instead of just the transportation cost.
Tip: Prioritize activity-based data for high-impact categories to improve the precision of your emissions inventory.
Action plan:
Start with financial data to populate emissions estimates broadly.
Transition to activity-based data as you gather more granular metrics over time.
Use the platform’s data validation features to identify and prioritize categories where switching to activity-based data will have the biggest impact on accuracy.
Financial data for scope 3:
Supplier invoices and procurement records for materials and services.
Transportation and logistics contracts.
Expense reports for employee commuting and business travel.
Waste disposal invoices and recycling fees.
Financial reports for franchise operations.
Activity-based data for scope 3:
Upstream activities:
1. Purchased goods and services:
Quantity and type of raw materials used (kg or tons) such as:
Wood, plastic, metal, paper, textiles, and chemicals.
Production methods and origins of materials (e.g., recycled vs. virgin).
Emissions associated with supplier manufacturing (if available).
2. Capital goods:
Emissions from the production of machinery, equipment, and buildings.
Data on materials used in capital projects (e.g., concrete, steel).
3. Fuel and energy-related activities (not included in scope 1 or 2):
Transmission and distribution losses for purchased electricity.
Upstream emissions from fuel extraction, production, and transport.
4. Transportation and logistics:
Fuel consumption or emissions data for third-party transport providers (e.g., kg CO₂/ton-km).
Distance and weight of goods transported.
Shipping modes: air, sea, road, rail.
5. Employee commuting:
Distance traveled by employees and modes of transport used (public transit, car, bike).
Carpooling and remote work adoption rates.
6. Business travel:
Air travel: number of flights, class of travel, distance (short/long haul).
Car rentals or use of ride-hailing services.
Train or bus travel data.
7. Waste generated in operations:
Quantity and types of waste (kg or tons).
Disposal methods: landfill, incineration, recycling, composting.
Downstream activities:
8. Use of sold products:
Energy consumption during the use phase of sold products (e.g., appliances, vehicles).
Product lifespans and maintenance requirements.
9. End-of-life treatment of sold products:
Material composition and recyclability of sold goods.
Quantity of waste generated from disposed products.
10. Distribution and retail:
Energy use in third-party retail outlets.
Emissions from storage and distribution facilities.
11. Franchises:
Energy and resource consumption at franchised operations.