Español
An increasing number of companies are calculating their carbon footprint to understand the climate impact of their operations, anticipate new regulatory requirements, and respond to the demands of clients, investors, and other stakeholders. However, many organizations start by analyzing only their Scope 1 (direct emissions) and Scope 2 (indirect emissions from electricity) emissions.
This first step is essential, but it does not always provide a complete picture of the organization’s climate impact. For many companies, a highly significant portion of their emissions lies outside their facilities and direct operations: in their purchasing, suppliers, transport, travel, waste, products sold, or investments. In other words, in Scope 3.
Why is Scope 3 calculated less frequently?
Scope 3 is more complex because it requires analyzing the company’s value chain. Gathering electricity bills or fuel consumption records is no longer enough. It is necessary to:
- Identify which categories are relevant to the business model.
- Request information from different departments within the organization.
- Review detailed purchasing and supplier data.
- Analyze commuting, transport, waste, and acquired assets.
- Evaluate, in some cases, the use or end-of-life treatment of sold products.
This is why many organizations begin by calculating only Scope 1 and 2, leaving Scope 3 for a later stage. However, to advance toward a robust climate strategy, Scope 3 is key.
Methodology, Data, and Specialized Tools
El cálculo del Alcance 3 requiere una combinación de criterio técnico, conocimiento metodológico y herramientas adecuadas para gestionar grandes volúmenes de información. En EHS Techniques acompañamos a las empresas en todo el proceso: desde la identificación de las categorías relevantes hasta la recopilación de datos, selección de factores de emisión, cálculo de resultados y definición de medidas de reducción.
Progressive Integration Plan: When the organization does not yet have sufficient information to calculate all categories with the desired level of quality, we develop a customized roadmap. This allows us to define which categories should be addressed first, what data needs to be collected, which departments or suppliers must be involved, and how to improve the quality of the inventory in the following years.
To calculate the carbon footprint, we work with Carbon+Alt+Delete, a specialized tool that enables information structuring, integrates various emission factor databases, documents hypotheses, and facilitates calculation traceability. This approach allows us to develop more comprehensive, consistent, and auditable emissions inventories, aligned with international reporting standards.
From Calculation to Reduction
Calculating the carbon footprint should not be an isolated exercise. The true value of the inventory lies in using the results to define a realistic reduction strategy tailored to the company’s business activities.
Once the main emission sources have been identified, we support organizations in defining:
- Short- and medium-term reduction measures.
- Tailored decarbonization plans.
- Climate targets and monitoring indicators.
- Roadmaps aligned with their needs and capabilities.
Do you want to calculate your company’s carbon footprint?
At EHS Techniques, we help companies calculate their corporate carbon footprint according to their current needs:
If your company already calculates Scope 1 and 2: The next step is to move toward a more comprehensive carbon footprint by incorporating Scope 3. This analysis provides a better understanding of the emissions associated with the value chain, identifies the most relevant categories, and defines reduction measures with greater impact.
If your organization has not yet calculated its footprint: We can support you from the very first step (defining the scope, data collection, calculation of direct and indirect emissions, and results analysis).
Let’s talk about your project—contact us today.