Developing a Scope 3 Inventory. Case: Finnair and Carbon Disclosure Project Nordic 260 Report
Merilä, Outi (2013)
Merilä, Outi
HAAGA-HELIA ammattikorkeakoulu
2013
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2013052911683
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2013052911683
Tiivistelmä
The objective of this project-based thesis is to create a roadmap and an inventory tool for a comprehensive scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory for the commissioning company Finnair to be used in the company’s Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) reporting. A scope 3 inventory includes all indirect GHGs resulting from Finnair’s activities. Finnair has participated in CDP reporting since 2008, being one of 6,000 companies providing information about their environmental strategies and GHG emissions for institutional investors globally through the CDP.
There are various benefits and value in early voluntary reporting actions. Only by measuring its emissions can a company improve its environmental performance. Direct benefits from voluntary GHG emissions accounting can manifest in a continuous improvement in efficiency leading in turn to reduced costs. Through continuous improvement in its activities, a company can gain a competitive advantage. Indirect benefits can stem from transparency to shareholders, clients and the public audience. Transparency builds trust and commitment among internal and external stakeholders.
The most essential step in the process of developing the inventory is identifying relevant scope 3 activities based on the company’s business goals. In Finnair’s inventory these are: purchased goods and services; fuel- and energy-related activities; upstream transportation and distribution; waste generated in operations; business travel; employee commuting; and upstream- and downstream-leased assets. Establishing integrated GHG data management to ensure efficiency in GHG accounting and reporting requires consistent supplier engagement from Finnair. As Finnair outsource their activities in increasing volumes, the reporting of indirect emissions becomes more prominent.
The outcome of this thesis forms a rigid base for Finnair’s scope 3 inventory. It rationalizes the backgrounds for GHG emission categories, offering the required tools for GHG data collection, as well as calculation methods and reporting guidelines.
There are various benefits and value in early voluntary reporting actions. Only by measuring its emissions can a company improve its environmental performance. Direct benefits from voluntary GHG emissions accounting can manifest in a continuous improvement in efficiency leading in turn to reduced costs. Through continuous improvement in its activities, a company can gain a competitive advantage. Indirect benefits can stem from transparency to shareholders, clients and the public audience. Transparency builds trust and commitment among internal and external stakeholders.
The most essential step in the process of developing the inventory is identifying relevant scope 3 activities based on the company’s business goals. In Finnair’s inventory these are: purchased goods and services; fuel- and energy-related activities; upstream transportation and distribution; waste generated in operations; business travel; employee commuting; and upstream- and downstream-leased assets. Establishing integrated GHG data management to ensure efficiency in GHG accounting and reporting requires consistent supplier engagement from Finnair. As Finnair outsource their activities in increasing volumes, the reporting of indirect emissions becomes more prominent.
The outcome of this thesis forms a rigid base for Finnair’s scope 3 inventory. It rationalizes the backgrounds for GHG emission categories, offering the required tools for GHG data collection, as well as calculation methods and reporting guidelines.