Myth-busting: Increasing the Accuracy of Calculations will Automatically Lead to Lower Emissions

The belief that increasing the accuracy of emissions calculations will lead to a lower carbon footprint often comes from mature companies that have started their supplier engagement journey. They assume that having worked with individual suppliers to collect emissions intensities at the product level, the improved accuracy will automatically decrease their emissions results.

While this increased accuracy will allow them to focus their decarbonisation efforts, the actual emission reductions won’t necessarily arise during the calculation stage. Nevertheless, accuracy should not be underestimated when guiding companies to reduce their emissions. How can they be certain of achieving any progress without accurate emissions calculations?

Calculate with accuracy, report with transparency, and reduce with certainty

More accurate emissions calculations leading to higher emissions should not necessarily be considered a bad thing. They are certainly better than low emissions results based on assumptions that do not accurately reflect your carbon footprint. How can companies set achievable emission reduction targets if they are unsure of the quality of the data?

This accuracy will be particularly relevant when setting science-based targets and effectively reducing your organisation’s greenhouse gas emissions. Despite potentially starting with a higher emissions baseline, you’ll be empowered with accurate data to guide your decarbonisation journey.

Accurate emissions data will prevent greenwashing or greenhushing

By increasing the accuracy of their greenhouse gas emissions, businesses can be sure they aren’t greenwashing. They’ll earn this peace of mind by not relying on optimistic estimates or heavily assumption-based calculations to back their sustainability strategy. Trust us, it’s better to start your emission reduction journey with high emissions than to be accused of lying about them.

On the other hand, it’s also true that businesses not benefiting from accurate emissions calculations may greenhush if they are unaware of the progress they are making on their emission reduction strategy. A company that understands its emissions will be able to speak about its decarbonisation strategy confidently.

Supplier engagement can increase emissions accuracy and guide reductions

We started this myth-busting by talking about companies engaging their suppliers, and it’s important to highlight that supplier engagement does play a role in increasing emissions accuracy. However, achieving tangible emissions reductions is about going beyond the calculation stage to engage suppliers on a joint decarbonisation journey.

Suppliers concerned about losing tenders in a sustainability-driven market might be concerned about the effect that carbon management could have on their business. However, companies will be far more likely to partner with suppliers who accurately report their emissions and can demonstrate how they plan to achieve reductions.

It’s also important to remember that your emissions data is valuable to every link above you in the supply chain. Businesses will be looking for suppliers whose emissions calculations can help them increase the accuracy of their own calculations.

That’s why Emitwise’s emissions calculation services, like Procurewise, have been designed to support suppliers in accurately measuring their emissions and facilitate the exchange of this data with their customers.

One of the most important steps in the emissions reduction journey is obtaining accurate emissions calculations. With that data, companies can calculate accurately, report confidently, and reduce effectively.

Get in touch to accurately measure your emissions.