Understand Your Business's Environmental Impact | Switch2Zero scopes and carbon footprint

Sustainable environment includes wind turbines and cycle schemes

What is a carbon footprint?

A business's carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including direct and indirect emissions, produced by the business's activities, operations, and value chain. It encompasses emissions from sources such as energy consumption, transportation, manufacturing processes, and the supply chain.

Measuring and managing a business's carbon footprint is essential for identifying opportunities to reduce emissions and improve environmental sustainability.

Direct & indirect emissions summary

Direct emissions
Generated from sources that an organization (or person) directly controls, such as burning fossil fuels for heating or transportation.
Indirect emissions
Generated from sources that an organization (or person) directly controls, such as burning fossil fuels for heating or transportation.

Understanding Scopes 1, 2 and 3

Scope 1 emissions
The direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated from sources that are owned or controlled by an organization.

They primarily include burning fossil fuels on-site for heating, electricity generation, or process heat, as well as operating company-owned vehicles.

Scope 2 emissions
Indirect GHG emissions resulting from the consumption of purchased electricity, heat, or steam by an organization.

These emissions occur outside the organisation's direct operational control but are associated with the organisation's activities.

Scope 3 emissions
Indirect ghg emissions that occur as a result of an organization's activities but are outside it’s operational boundaries.

They are associated with the entire value chain of the organization, including suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders.

What can you do next?

Offset your high-level footprint

Compensate emissions by investing in projects that reduce greenhouse gases or promote sustainable practices.

Reduce your footprint

Conserve energy, use renewables, recycle, reduce waste, and adopt sustainable practices.