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Carbon Footprint
Key takeaways
- A carbon footprint is the total greenhouse gas emissions caused by a business’s activities, normally expressed in tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e).
- Emissions are split into Scope 1 (direct), Scope 2 (purchased energy) and Scope 3 (everything else in the value chain).
- Business energy use feeds Scope 2 directly — choices like a green tariff or REGO-backed supply affect how it’s reported.
What is a carbon footprint?
A carbon footprint is the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions linked to an organisation, product, or activity over a defined period, expressed as tonnes of CO₂ equivalent.
For businesses, the standard reporting framework is the GHG Protocol, which categorises emissions into three scopes: Scope 1 (direct emissions from owned sources, e.g. gas boilers), Scope 2 (indirect from purchased electricity, heat or steam), and Scope 3 (indirect from the wider value chain — suppliers, business travel, distribution, etc.).
How energy feeds the footprint
Electricity and gas consumption sit in Scope 2 (electricity) and Scope 1 (on-site gas combustion).
Scope 2 reporting allows ‘market-based’ accounting, which is where REGO-backed or green tariff arrangements can change the reported number (without changing physical emissions).
A formal energy audit typically underpins the data you use for the Scope 1 and Scope 2 calculations.
Why it matters now
Buyers, investors and procurement teams increasingly ask suppliers for emissions data.
Targets and disclosure frameworks (SBTi, TCFD, UK SECR) require credible Scope 1/2 numbers and increasingly Scope 3.
