The carbon footprint is a key indicator used to measure the climate impact of human activities, products, and services. It represents the total amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere and is expressed in tons of CO\u2082 equivalent (CO\u2082e). It does not only account for carbon dioxide but also includes other gases such as methane and nitrous oxide, converted into a single unit of measurement based on their global warming potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME), knowing its carbon footprint means having an objective tool to assess the environmental impact of its activities. It is not just a technical detail, but a strategic starting point to reduce costs, make more informed decisions, and demonstrate genuine commitment to customers, partners, and institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The calculation of the carbon footprint is based on internationally recognized methodologies, in particular the Greenhouse Gas Protocol<\/strong>, which divides emissions into three main categories, called Scopes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Emissions for each scope are estimated using emission factors<\/strong>. These are coefficients that convert activity data \u2013 such as kilowatt-hours consumed, liters of fuel purchased, or even money spent \u2013 into tons of CO\u2082 equivalent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The basic formula is simple: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Emissions\u00a0(tCO\u2082e)=Activity\u00a0data\u00d7Emission\u00a0factor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Emission factors are essential tools for estimating greenhouse gas emissions, and they can take different forms depending on the type of data available and the accuracy required. Some factors are based on the characteristics of electricity generation, such as location-based factors<\/strong>, which reflect the average emissions intensity of the grid where electricity is consumed, or market-based factors<\/strong>, which instead consider contractual instruments like Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) or Guarantees of Origin that account for the purchase of renewable energy. When data is provided directly by suppliers, we speak of supplier-specific factors<\/strong>, which are the most accurate as they represent actual performance, while in the absence of such information, industry-average factors<\/strong> are often used, representing typical emissions of an entire sector or production process. In other cases, it is necessary to go beyond a single production step and adopt life-cycle factors<\/strong>, which account for emissions across all phases of a product or service, from raw material extraction to disposal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To apply any of these factors, it is always necessary to combine them with activity data<\/strong>, that is, the quantitative measure of the activity generating emissions: kilometers driven, liters of fuel consumed, kilowatt-hours purchased, or tons of material processed. The basic principle is simple: emissions are obtained by multiplying the activity data by the corresponding emission factor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A separate case is represented by financial emission factors<\/strong>, which link emissions to the amount of money spent in a given category. For example, 0.5 kgCO\u2082e might be assigned for every euro spent on office supplies, using extended economic-environmental databases such as EXIOBASE or USEEIO. This approach has the advantage of being quick and applicable even when specific physical data is unavailable, making it particularly useful for preliminary screenings or for minor spending categories. However, its accuracy is limited, since prices, product quality, and regional differences can vary significantly, reducing comparability with more precise, activity-based calculations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is important to stress that using financial or physical emission factors is never a neutral choice: it always depends on the objectives of the analysis. If a company aims to obtain a quick and general overview, financial factors are a practical and immediate tool. But if the goal is a more accurate calculation, useful for operational decisions \u2013 such as identifying where to reduce energy consumption or improve processes \u2013 then it becomes essential to rely on physical data or, ideally, direct measurements. In other words, each approach has its context, and the key is to be aware of its strengths and limitations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n More accurate are the physical emission factors<\/strong>. In this case, emissions are calculated from concrete data, such as kilowatt-hours of electricity consumed, liters of fuel used, or tons of materials purchased. An example is the factor of 0.233 kgCO\u2082e for every kWh of electricity consumed in the United Kingdom, published by DEFRA<\/strong> in 2022. These factors are drawn from official inventories or Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)<\/strong> studies conducted by organizations such as DEFRA, EPA, IPCC, or IEA. The main strength of this approach is that it is directly linked to actual consumption, providing more reliable estimates. Nevertheless, context matters: the electricity factor, for instance, varies depending on the national energy mix and evolves over time. In general, physical factors are considered medium-to-high quality data<\/strong> and are preferable whenever reliable consumption information is available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another important aspect is the hierarchy of data quality<\/strong>. At the top are always direct measurements<\/strong>, such as meter readings or supplier-provided data. Next are physical emission factors<\/strong>, which represent a good compromise between availability and accuracy. At the bottom are financial factors<\/strong>, to be used only when no other options are available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Calculating the carbon footprint is not just a technical exercise but a process that requires conscious choices about how emissions are estimated. Understanding the differences between direct measurements, physical factors, and financial factors allows results to be interpreted correctly and used as a foundation for concrete reduction strategies. Ultimately, the quality of data and transparency in the chosen method are what make any sustainability journey robust and credible.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Carbon footprint explained: what it is, how to calculate Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, and why accurate emission factors are key to sustainability.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":15643,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[525],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-15647","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-en"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/axevera.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15647","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/axevera.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/axevera.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/axevera.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/axevera.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15647"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/axevera.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15647\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15659,"href":"https:\/\/axevera.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15647\/revisions\/15659"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/axevera.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15643"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/axevera.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15647"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/axevera.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15647"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/axevera.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15647"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/axevera.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=15647"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
Emissions generated from sources owned or directly controlled by the company. For example, fuel consumed by company vehicles, combustion in boilers, or industrial processes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Emissions related to the production of electricity, heat, or steam purchased and used by the company. For example, electricity drawn from the grid.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
The broadest and most complex category, covering all emissions connected to the company\u2019s activities but not directly under its control. These include, for example, the production of goods and services purchased, third-party transportation, employee business travel, product use, and end-of-life disposal.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nEmission factors: the calculation tool<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Types of emission factors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Choosing the right method: objectives and context<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Data quality hierarchy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n