How Can I Measure My Business's Carbon Footprint?

When evaluating a company's environmental impact, identifying emission sources is essential. The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol establishes accounting standards enabling organizations to track and report emissions across three categories: Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3.

Scope 1 Emissions

Direct emissions originating from sources owned or controlled by the organization fall under this category. Companies typically prioritize these first due to their straightforward measurement and high impact potential.

Examples of Scope 1 Emissions

Four subcategories encompass Scope 1:

• Stationary Combustion: On-site fuel burning (oil, natural gas, propane) typically represents the largest contributor
• Mobile Combustion: Fuel consumption from company vehicles including cars, trucks, and ships
• Fugitive Emissions: Unintentional greenhouse gas releases from refrigeration units, air conditioning systems, and agricultural operations
• Process Emissions: Industrial chemical and manufacturing processes such as cement or metal production

Scope 2 Emissions

Indirect emissions result from purchasing electricity, steam, heat, or cooling. Though physically generated elsewhere, they're included because they stem from organizational energy consumption.

Examples of Scope 2 Emissions

• Electricity: Emissions from power generation facilities supplying the company's energy
• Steam: Carbon dioxide and gases produced by steam manufacturing
• Heating & Cooling: Emissions from climate control system production

Scope 3 Emissions

The broadest category encompasses indirect emissions throughout the entire value chain—upstream production and downstream product use. These prove most challenging to quantify since data often requires estimation.

Examples of Scope 3 Emissions

Upstream (15 total categories):

• Purchased goods and services
• Capital goods
• Fuel and energy-related activities
• Upstream transportation and distribution
• Operational waste
• Business travel
• Employee commuting
• Upstream leased assets

Downstream:

• Downstream transportation and distribution
• Sold product processing
• Sold product use
• End-of-life product treatment
• Downstream leased assets
• Franchises
• Investments

Next Steps

After data collection, organizations can utilize carbon calculators or engage professionals to analyze results. Companies can then establish reduction targets and implement emissions-reduction strategies. Platforms like Aclymate simplify the entire process, from data collection through reporting.