Why do the activities of others add to my Carbon Footprint?
Your organisation's Carbon Footprint consists of three main parts
1. Direct emissions (Scope 1): Emissions from assets you own or control directly, such as vehicles and boilers.
2. Indirect emissions from purchased energy (Scope 2): Emissions from the electricity you purchase and use.
3. Other indirect emissions (Scope 3): Emissions from all other activities, including purchased goods and services,
outsourced operations, etc.
These categories align with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol standard for organisational carbon foot printing.
Example of Scope 3 Emissions
An example of Scope 3 emissions could be those associated with purchased courier or haulage services. In Carbon Manager,
the relevant supplier would be categorised under "Transport & Distribution - Haulage & Logistics".
Understanding Double Counting
The emissions from a haulage service would would be counted in several footprints including:
1. In your organisation's footprint (as part of your indirect, Scope 3 emissions)
2. In the truck owner/operator's footprint (as part of their direct, Scope 1 emissions)
While this may seem like double counting, it is standard industry practice for calculating organisational footprints.
The rationale is that any footprint-generating activity over which an organisation has influence should be included in
that organisation's footprint. As the purchaser of freight services, you have influence over how that freight is
transported, so the activity is included in your footprint.
Further Information
For more detailed information on carbon foot printing, you may find these resources helpful:
- Carbon Trust: What are Scope 3 emissions and why do they matter?
- GHG Protocol: Scope 3 Detailed FAQ (Note: This resource provides in-depth technical information)