SustainCERT launches Emission Factor Verification
Following the recent launch of Scope 3 impact modeling, we are further expanding our suite of Value Chain services to include emission factor verification. It will allow companies in the food & agriculture and apparel sectors to have their emission factor data audited and verified to strengthen Scope 3 reporting, unlock premium pricing opportunities, and mitigate credibility risks.
Emission factors enable companies to calculate the emissions of their products and activities and to report them according to GHG Protocol guidance. An emission factor represents the emission intensity of an activity or process, forming part of the calculation to estimate greenhouse gas emissions. Our new verification service audits emission factor data, ensuring credibility and accuracy for Scope 3 reporting and enabling year-over-year comparisons to track changes in emissions.
What you can do with verified emission factors:
- Strengthen your Scope 3 reporting: Ensure your emission factors align with GHG Protocol standards, making it easier to integrate verified data into the Scope 3 inventory.
- Build trust: Use verified, location-specific emission factors to demonstrate transparency and credibility, reducing risk of reputational damage from misaligned reporting data.
- Increase value: Justify premium pricing for goods with lower emission factors by presenting verified data that enables off-takers to address credibility concerns.
Increasing the accuracy of your Scope 3 reporting
Accurate and credible Scope 3 emissions reporting is essential for meeting climate targets, building trust, and unlocking market opportunities. Companies often use emission factors from national databases, however they don’t always accurately represent the emission factor of a specific sourcing location within a company’s value chain. This can lead to credibility issues and difficulty aligning with reporting standards.
Verifying the emission factors from specific sourcing locations helps enhance emissions data accuracy, leading to more credible reporting of Scope 3 emissions. It also enables credible year-over-year comparisons to track changes in emissions. Upon completion, we issue a verification statement confirming that the emission factors have been calculated in conformance with GHG Protocol standards, and are ready to be incorporated into your company’s Scope 3 reporting. You can then calculate your Scope 3 emissions by multiplying the verified emission factor with relevant activity data – such as the amount of commodity you are sourcing.
Verify your emission factors
Get in touch to discover how emission factor verification can help you credibly report progress on Scope 3 emissions.