A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted by your organisation, either directly through your own operations or indirectly through your supply chain, purchased goods, and services. It’s measured in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) and includes all the activities that contribute to climate change—from heating your office to employee commuting, business travel, and product use.
Carbon footprinting is a critical first step towards reducing emissions and building a more sustainable organisation. It helps you understand where emissions are coming from, so you can prioritise actions that deliver the greatest impact.
At Carbon Sense, we make this process clear and manageable, no matter where you are on your sustainability journey.
Emissions are categorised into three scopes:
- Scope 1 – Direct emissions: Emissions from sources owned or controlled by your organisation, such as company vehicles or onsite fuel use.
- Scope 2 – Indirect energy emissions: Emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, heating, or cooling.
- Scope 3 – Other indirect emissions: Emissions from your value chain, such as suppliers, product use, waste, business travel, and employee commuting. Scope 3 emissions are often the largest and the most complex to measure.
Depending on the size and structure of your organisation, it may not be possible to calculate every emission source straight away.
That’s why we work with you to build an accurate and compliant footprint over time, gathering the data you need to take confident, informed steps towards Net Zero.
