This guide explains how to collect and provide emissions data so a supplier-specific emissions factor can be calculated. It’s written for suppliers with no prior sustainability experience and provides practical, step-by-step instructions.
Business context: Why customers ask for this data
Think of emissions reporting like a nutrition label for your business—customers want to know the environmental “ingredients” in their supply chain. Governments and investors now require large companies to measure and report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which include not only their own operations but also the emissions from the companies they buy from—that means you.
What are greenhouse gas emissions?
They’re gases like carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane that trap heat in the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. Businesses track these emissions to reduce risks and meet legal and market expectations.
Why is this important for you?
It helps you stay on your customer’s preferred supplier list.
It strengthens trust and positions your business for long-term contracts.
Think of it as a seatbelt for your business—it helps you stay safe as the market changes.
By providing accurate emissions data, you make life easier for your customers and show them you’re a reliable, forward-thinking partner.
Introducing the GHG protocol and emission scopes
The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol is the globally recognized standard for measuring and reporting emissions. It breaks down emissions into three “scopes”:
Scope 1: Direct emissions from sources your company owns or controls.
Scope 2: Indirect emissions from purchased electricity, heat, or steam.
Scope 3: All other indirect emissions in your value chain, including suppliers and purchased goods and services.
1. Understand scope 1, 2, and 3 upstream emissions
Scope 1: Direct emissions
Emissions from sources you own or control directly.
Examples:
Fuel used in company vehicles
Gas for boilers and heaters
On-site generators
Scope 2: Indirect energy emissions
Emissions from the electricity, heat, or steam you purchase.
Example: Electricity used to power your offices or factories.
Scope 3: Other indirect emissions (upstream)
Emissions from suppliers and purchased goods/services before they reach you.
Includes:
Purchased goods and services
Capital goods
Fuel- and energy-related activities (not included in Scope 1 or 2)
Upstream transportation and distribution
Waste generated in operations
Business travel
Employee commuting
For simplicity, focus on spend-based data for Scope 3.
2. Data requirements by scope
Scope | Data required | Who usually owns it | Where it’s found | Format |
Scope 1 | Fuel usage (litres, gallons, m³, kWh) for vehicles, boilers | Operations / Facilities Manager | Fuel purchase records, fleet management, invoices | PDFs, spreadsheets |
Scope 2 | Electricity consumption (kWh) and supplier info | Finance / Facilities | Utility bills, energy portals | PDFs, CSV exports |
Scope 3 upstream | Spend data: list of purchased goods/services and amount paid | Finance / Procurement | ERP systems (SAP, Oracle), accounting systems | CSV exports |
3. Understand organisation boundaries
Include all operations and sites that are part of your own company’s activities, regardless of whether they are owned or leased. This means all locations where your employees work and where your operations take place. In addition, you must collect spend data for all goods and services you purchase, because these purchases fall under your Scope 3 upstream emissions.
Examples:
Include: Warehouses, factories, and offices you manage—even if rented, and all purchased goods and services recorded in your procurement systems.
Note: External suppliers are not included in your Scope 1 and 2 boundaries, but their impact through the goods and services you buy is included in your Scope 3. That’s why you need to capture spend data for everything you purchase.
4. Steps to gather and submit data
Step 1: Identify internal data owners
Finance/Procurement: Spend data for Scope 3.
Facilities/Operations: Fuel and energy bills.
Step 2: Request data using the template below
Here’s a customizable email template. Adjust it based on who you’re sending it to (Finance, Facilities, Procurement). You can delete irrelevant lines for each recipient.
Subject: Action required: Request for business data for key customer's reporting
Hi [Name],
Our customer [Customer Name] has requested that we provide emissions data to meet their compliance obligations and maintain our eligibility for strategic contracts. This is critical because not providing accurate data may put our relationship and future work at risk.
We need your help with the following:
If you’re in Finance: Provide electricity usage details (Scope 2) and spend data for purchased goods/services (Scope 3).
If you’re in Facilities/Operations: Provide fuel usage for company vehicles and boilers (Scope 1) and electricity consumption data (Scope 2).
Why this matters: This information helps our customer meet regulatory requirements and demonstrate sustainability leadership. It also positions us as a reliable partner and can influence future business opportunities. Failure to provide this data could mean our customer uses generic assumptions that may not reflect our performance.
Please provide the requested data by [deadline]. If you have any questions or need guidance on formats, I can assist.
Thank you, [Your Name]
Step 3: Compile data in a spreadsheet
Use templates from the Avarni survey.
Share with the right teams to collect data.
Step 4: Submit via Avarni
Upload the completed templates through the Avarni survey request.
You do NOT need to calculate any emissions—Avarni does this for you.
After you submit your survey, you'll be able to see your emissions calculated on Avarni's dashboard (click "Overview" on the side-bar, and make sure you have the right reporting period selected on the top).
5. How the supplier-specific factor is calculated
The supplier-specific factor is a simple way to show how much carbon emissions come from your business compared to the amount of money your business makes. It helps your customer work out how much of their supply chain emissions should be linked to you, based on real data instead of guesses.
How it works:
Add together all your emissions from:
Scope 1: Fuel you burn (e.g., company vehicles, boilers)
Scope 2: Electricity you buy and use
Scope 3 (upstream): Everything you buy from other companies (we use your spend data for this)
Then divide this total by your annual revenue. This gives an intensity number, like “kilograms of CO₂ per dollar earned.”
Why it matters:
It means your customer doesn’t have to rely on industry averages, which may make your business look worse than it is.
It shows you’re transparent and willing to work with them.
It can help keep you on preferred supplier lists for big contracts.
Good news: You do NOT need to do this math yourself. Once you upload your data in Avarni, the system works it out and shares it with your customer.
6. FAQs and responses
Here are some quick answers to questions you may get from your internal data owners.
Q: Why are we being asked for this?
A: Our customer needs this to meet legal and investor requirements and avoid penalties. If we don’t provide it, they’ll have to rely on generic industry averages, which might not reflect our actual efficiency and could affect our competitiveness.
Q: How will the data be used?
A: To calculate our supplier-specific emissions factor. This allows the customer to report accurately and strengthens their trust in us as a transparent and reliable partner.
Q: Do we need special tools or consultants?
A: No. We only need existing records like invoices, energy bills, and spend data. Templates are provided to make it easy.
Q: What if we don’t have everything?
A: Submit what we have. Partial data is acceptable, and estimates are better than silence. Customers value responsiveness over perfection.
Q: Is this confidential?
A: Yes. The information is only used for the customer’s sustainability reporting and is handled securely through Avarni.
Q: How much time will it take?
A: Usually a few hours if we have access to invoices and ERP data. Starting early and using the provided templates will minimize time spent.
Q: Will this increase our costs?
A: No direct financial cost. However, not providing this data could risk losing business and damage our relationship with a key customer. Providing it strengthens trust and helps secure long-term contracts.
Q: What happens if we don’t respond?
A: Our customer may use less favorable estimates, which could misrepresent our performance and impact our chances of winning future contracts.
Q: Can we reuse this data?
A: Yes. It can be valuable for other customer requests and to prepare for upcoming sustainability regulations.
Top 5 tips to get this done fast
Start early: Contact Finance and Facilities as soon as you receive the request.
Use Avarni templates: They’re designed to make data collection simple and structured.
Assign a point person: One person should coordinate and follow up internally.
Don’t wait for perfection: Submit what we have—even estimates are better than no response.
Communicate deadlines clearly: Make sure everyone knows why this matters and when it’s due.
Additional support
If you need any extra support to complete your customer's data request, please contact Avarni's friendly team via the chat bubble on the top right of the platform!