Tackling Scope 3 Emissions
Scope 3 is one area that a lot of businesses put off. The view is that it is just too big and too complex for an organisation to take on and the consultancy fees are too expensive to get external help. Scope 3 is similar to an analogy that you say to your kids, how do you eat an elephant, a chunk at a time.
Firstly, you can take on the challenge without external help however reaching out to a Carbon Consultancy for initial help or thoughts might not cost as much as people think. The first chunk is to understand the ask. In previous blogs we have discussed the difference between Direct and Indirect. ‘Direct GHG emissions are emissions from sources that are owned or controlled by the reporting entity. Indirect GHG emissions are emissions that are a consequence of the activities of the reporting entity, but occur at sources owned or controlled by another entity’
Once you have that understanding, why not start with your scope 3 that are in your direct control. You can start here whilst working with the key suppliers to the business and their foot print. Depending on the business and industry the Indirect emissions are going to vary. Some may not have any leased assets, franchises or investments while some have a main focus on the transportation and distribution of suppliers goods.
For a toe in the water for Scope 3 start with (Direct Emissions) Employee commuting and business travel. The latter should be easy to workout as you could get the data from HR and finance and the teams expense claims.
Start small, grow your knowledge, and choose a key consultancy that can help you on your individual journey. You will know your carbon footprint and be on your way to being Net Zero before you know it.