» Resources » What’s the difference between scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions? Energy & Carbon What’s the difference between scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions? In order for organisations to reach their net zero targets, a carbon strategy should be at the forefront of their minds. As part of that carbon strategy, it’s crucial that organisations, both SMEs and global corporates, are accurately measuring and managing their carbon emissions. For organisations to be able to measure their carbon footprint, they need to be able to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions that they’re responsible for. To do this, organisations must collect their operational data and use official multipliers (known as conversion factors) to translate those into carbon emissions. Organisations should, at minimum, cover their carbon scope 1 and 2 emissions, and also include their scope 3 emissions data where possible. It can be confusing at first to keep track of which emissions belong to which scope, so allow us to help and explain: Scope 1 emissions correspond to the direct emissions you have produced from owned and controlled sources. For example, if your organisation has a vehicle fleet, any diesel or petrol consumed by those vehicles generates emissions that come out of the exhaust pipes. Those are therefore emissions that the organisation is directly generating and responsible for. Scope 2 emissions are defined as indirect emissions from the consumption of electricity, steam, heating and cooling. Scope 3 emissions are all other indirect emissions. This can range from the carbon embodied in the materials you purchase through to emissions associated with the processing of the waste you have generated. For most organisations, scope 3 emissions will be the largest contributor to their footprint. Need a measurement tool for tracking your organisations’ carbon emissions? Register for a free Carbon Calculator account. Need help developing a carbon strategy for your organisation? Get in touch! Charles Naud Head of Product Apr 1, 2022 Share: Related Articles September 2024 Blog Procurement Guide to Evaluating Modern Slavery Policies: Identifying Best Practice and Red Flags Emma-Jane Allen (EJ) September 2024 Blog Procurement Guide to Evaluating Modern Slavery Policies: Identifying Best Practice and Red Flags As a procurement professional, you’re already juggling a multitude of priorities – carbon footprints, social value, resource efficiency, health and safety. Now, add modern slavery and labour exploitation to your plate. The task can feel quite overwhelming. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard, “We ask our suppliers for their modern slavery policies, […] Keagan Allin September 2024 Blog What is EDI? Saira Khan September 2024 Blog What is EDI? EDI stands for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion and has grown to become an increasingly important sustainability issue over the past few decades. EDI has become a workplace priority for organisations, both in the public and private sectors. EDI initiatives are intended to promote and uphold practices that make sure all employees are being treated fairly, […] Billy Wilkinson September 2024 Glossary Why is diversity and inclusion important? Saira Khan September 2024 Glossary Why is diversity and inclusion important? Diversity and Inclusion is important because positive diversity and inclusion initiatives and considerations can have huge impacts on a person’s life, both in their work and personal life. Over the past 50 years, there has been greater awareness of diversity and inclusion from the general public, the government, and private organisations. This can be attributed […] Billy Wilkinson