Mission emissions

Companies emit a tonne of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs). Makes sense - most companies build stuff. They take people, ideas, and processes, shake them around like a bartender and then poof - money comes out the other end.

If they emit enough of these gases, they’re legally required to report these in many countries, including the UK and US. There’s a problem though.

Figuring out their emissions is hard

Let’s take the example of McDonald’s - they have to understand and report emissions across 3 Scopes as per The Greenhouse Gas Protocol.

Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions - emissions made by the company burning fuel on site that allows them to whip up french fries (even when the ice-cream machine is broken).

Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions - this includes emissions caused by refrigeration, lighting - all the stuff where although they’re not emitting anything on site, the electricity is used there.

Scope 3 emissions are the hard ones though - this includes all of the emissions caused by the McDonald’s supply chain and sources not under their direct control.

• Did someone drive a lorry to drop off lettuce to the McDonald’s this morning? That’s a Scope 3 right there.

• Uber Eats driver picked up an order for delivery in a Mustang? Scope 3 emission baby.

• Someone let one McRip inside your restaurant? Ok I’ll be honest I don’t think this one counts but you get the point.

In fact - Scope 3 emissions are by far the largest part of most company emissions (making up over 70% of emissions for most businesses!) Getting to Net Zero™ needs these Scope 3 emissions to come under control - but if you can’t measure it, you can’t reduce it.

Things are changing though - once the EU finalises the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (honestly who names these things?) in 2024, nearly 50,000 companies will have to start reporting their Scope 3 emissions. Reporting these things will probably cost a minimum of $50k per company creating a multibillion dollar industry overnight and The Strawman will be there to tell you about it.