Not deprioritize. Disqualify.
This one shift has redefined supplier emissions from the sustainability team’s spreadsheets to a business-critical boardroom requirement.
But how much of a company’s carbon footprint is really in its supplier network?
60-70% of the company’s Scope 3 emissions reside in its supplier network, which account for 80-85% of its corporate carbon footprint. Its direct operations, which are Scope 1 and Scope 2, account for just 15-20%. Yet more than 90% of firms still lack a target for upstream carbon reduction.
The biggest source of emissions remains the least managed.
And regulatory compliance is just one part of the equation.
Indeed, frameworks such as the CSRD, the CSDDD, California SB 253, and evolving climate disclosures are pushing companies toward greater transparency.
But even before the regulatory authorities begin to knock, procurement teams, investors, and consumers are asking basic questions such as:
Can your suppliers verify their emissions?
If they cannot, the repercussions go far beyond compliance; they impact customer relationships, supplier qualification, finance, and competitiveness.
Why do most supplier emissions programs fail to take off?
Because establishing the baseline is straightforward. Developing a meaningful program is not.
Spending-based estimates are useful in detecting hotspots, but they do not facilitate product-level footprint requests, collaboration with suppliers, or science-based reduction approaches. For that, reliable supplier data, consistent methodology, and engagement are essential.
The organizations making real headway don’t apply the same program to all suppliers.
They prioritise suppliers based on their emissions impact and business impact, putting their efforts into areas where they create most of the value, while using scalable approaches for the rest of them. This is what makes the difference between companies that reduce their emissions and those who only report on them.
To address these key aspects of supply chain emissions, Snowkap’s experts have created a playbook to provide you with valuable insights.
In Snowkap‘s Supplier Emissions Playbook, you will learn how to:
✔ Prioritize suppliers through a structured segmentation approach
✔ Select the appropriate method for gathering data for each type of supplier
✔ Improve supplier engagement and data quality
✔ Create a step-by-step plan for the Scope 3 Maturity Roadmap
✔ Track results using relevant Key Performance Indicators
If supplier emissions reporting is becoming an essential part of your business process, then your strategy should be evolving as well.
Download the Supplier Emissions Playbook and build your own supplier emissions program.