What is Supplier Engagement?
The process of working with suppliers to measure, report, and reduce their carbon emissions. Effective supplier engagement is essential for accurate Scope 3 reporting and achieving supply chain decarbonisation.
Why it matters
Procurement teams at large organisations increasingly evaluate suppliers on carbon performance. Proactively engaging with your own suppliers on emissions data demonstrates maturity and strengthens your position when responding to buyer questionnaires.
Example
A catering company writes to its 10 largest food suppliers requesting carbon data per unit of product delivered. Three suppliers provide data in the first year, improving the accuracy of the company's Scope 3 Category 1 figures.
Related terms
Scope 3 Emissions
All other indirect emissions occurring in an organisation's value chain, both upstream and downstream. Scope 3 typically represents 70-90% of a company's total carbon footprint and includes emissions from suppliers, business travel, employee commuting, and product use.
Supplier-specific Data
Emission data provided directly by suppliers about their products or services. This is the most accurate method for calculating Scope 3 emissions but requires supplier engagement and may involve product carbon footprints or life cycle assessments.
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