Accompaniment to Our Recommendations

Not only do we provide you with your supplier’s carbon emissions data, we are now in the beta stage of providing specific climate action items that can mitigate your supplier’s carbon emissions. Each recommendation sheet expresses your supplier’s carbon emissions for each of the categories we have access to as well as tailored actions to reduce emissions. For a detailed understanding of these categories, including scope 1, scope 2, and scope 3 emissions, refer to our post attached here:

Let’s focus on each of these scopes and the actions that your supplier can take to reduce their emissions. 

Scope 1:

• Because this scope encompasses direct emissions, companies often have more control over transitioning these sectors to becoming more carbon efficient and less reliant on fossil fuels

• These are often only a small aspect of a company’s carbon footprint but are relatively easily to mitigate 

• A big aspect of mitigating scope 1 emissions is investing in newer, cleaner technologies like replacing heating and cooling systems and transitioning to electric vehicles

Scope 2:

• Scope 2 emissions stem from the consumption of purchased energy by a company, so to mitigate these emissions companies simply purchase energy that produces minimal carbon emissions 

• Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) are popular means to minimize scope 2 emissions 

  • PPAs: contracts between a company and a renewable energy provider in which a company agrees to purchase a specified amount of renewable energy over a set period, this provides a stable, often cost-effective, and long-term source of renewable energy to the company

  • RECs: certificates bought by a company to support a renewable energy project even if their energy is not necessarily from that source, similar to an offset

Scope 3:

• Scope 3 often accounts for the vast majority of a company’s carbon footprint because these encompass all emissions from the value chain 

• Because these emissions span so many different aspects of a company, most actions taken to mitigate these emissions are focused on promoting sustainability and climate-conscious choices within the company

  • Business travel and employee commute are aspects of scope 3 emissions, so choosing climate conscious options for travel (like electric vehicles) or minimizing travel (supporting remote work) lessens these emissions

  • Purchase, transportation, distribution, and disposal of goods and services accounts for a large aspect of scope 3 emissions and these can be minimized through incorporating sustainability and efficiency into all aspects of the supply chain 

Your suppliers should be disclosing their carbon emissions data and participating in initiatives that affirm their commitment to mitigating their carbon footprint as well as taking active steps towards lessening their emissions impact. 

Minimizing carbon emissions should be a priority in all of your supplier’s decisions. Now, you can demand it.