It depends on a variety of factors and on a case-by-case basis, such as company ambition, stakeholder demands, legal requirementsCSRD, EU taxonomy), industry practices, risks and transparency.

A company's carbon footprint is a measure of the total greenhouse gas emissions directly and indirectly linked to its activities, expressed as carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e). It reflects the impact a company has on the environment in terms of climate change, taking into account all activities from production to distribution and beyond.

Ideally, but the important thing is to focus on the biggest sources of emissions and to be transparent, both in your methodology and in your external communications. You never want to mislead, hide or in any way embellish your actual emissions in your communications.

• Activity-based data is based on actual activities, e.g. number of passenger kilometers, products, kg or liters.
• Spend-based data is based on flat-rate emissions based on the krona (or other currency) spent.

ZeroMission always recommends using activity-based data first and foremost, as expenditure-based data provides greater uncertainty with difficult-to-interpret results.

We illustrate through an example:

• A product made from recycled materials is likely to be more expensive than a product made from virgin materials. This means that the more expensive product will have higher climate emissions than the cheaper one if the spend-based method is used.
• According to this method, the effect is the opposite and creates incentives to buy pens made from virgin material instead of recycled.
• Another example is that spend-based figures are not adjusted for inflation or take into account different purchase prices.

It varies greatly depending on the activity and sector. Below are some examples of major emission sources by sector (in no particular order).

• for transport companies: company-owned vehicles, fuel combustion and capital goods.
• Retail: purchase of products, electricity consumption, commuting by guests.
• Producing companies: raw materials, electricity consumption, transportation.
• Event companies: purchase of products, transportation, electricity consumption, commuting.
• IT companies: use of products sold, purchase of goods, electricity consumption, transportation.

Once the climate calculation or inventory is completed, all customers are offered a simple analysis of the results. This analysis also includes suggestions for improvement for future years' climate calculations or assessments. The analysis should correspond to the customer's needs, ambition and level of development.

Where appropriate, an in-depth analysis and workshop can also be offered, focusing on how the business can reduce emissions in line with a target scenario.

From here, business must take over. You, together with us, are the captains of the ship Earth. Bring engagement into your company, make climate a natural part of your business, and create change.

We use an ESG tool called Our Impacts Sustainability Platform, created by our partner Ecoonline. The climate module of the tool is based on the GHG protocol, and CSRD is based on the ESRS standard.

We work with different sectors, including energy, transport, manufacturing and agriculture, and adapt our services to meet industry-specific needs.

It all depends on the purpose of the calculation. For example, if you want to do a quick survey to understand what your major emissions are, an overall calculation may be sufficient. However, keep in mind that these calculations make it difficult to compare year to year, quickly become dated and irrelevant when you want to analyze how your choices during a year have affected your emissions.

Therefore, identify the basis for your calculation and then decide on the level you want to set.

At ZeroMission, we work on climate issues because we want to make a difference. Don't forget that this is also why we all calculate our emissions - to make a difference. A calculation without a baseline risks not leading to any action.

It is therefore important that the calculations systematically neither underestimate nor overestimate emissions, but are as close to reality as possible.

The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is an EU initiative that aims to tackle carbon leakage and promote fair competition in global trade. It aims to impose a carbon price on certain imported goods from countries with less stringent climate rules, ensuring that EU manufacturers are not disadvantaged by higher environmental standards. Under CBAM, importers will be required to purchase carbon certificates corresponding to emissions linked to their products. The mechanism covers sectors at high risk of carbon leakage, such as steel, cement and fertilizers, and aims to encourage foreign producers to adopt more sustainable practices. The ultimate goal of CBAM is to support the EU's climate objectives while maintaining fair competition for European companies in the transition to a low-carbon economy.

The GHG Protocol is an internationally accepted standard for calculating the climate impact of organizations and activities. According to the standard, emissions are categorized as follows:

Scope 1: Direct emissions

• Emissions from stationary combustion sources (e.g. boilers, diesel generators)
• Emissions from mobile combustion sources (e.g. company-owned vehicles)
• Emissions of leaking refrigerants (e.g. from cooling systems and air conditioning)

Scope 2: Indirect emissions from purchased energy

• Emissions from electricity consumption
• Emissions from district heating or cooling

Scope 3: indirect emissions

• 3.1 Purchased goods and services
• 3.2 Capital goods (e.g. machinery and buildings)
• 3.3 Upstream emissions of Scope 1 and 2
• 3.4 Transportation and distribution (upstream)
• 3.5 Waste from operations
• 3.6 Business travel
• 3.7 Commuting of employees
• 3.8 Leased assets (upstream)
• 3.9 Transportation and distribution (downstream)
• 3.10 Processing of products sold
• 3.11 Use of products sold
• 3.12 Final disposal of products sold (waste management)
• 3.13 Leased assets (downstream)
• 3.14 Franchise operations
• 3.15 Investments

What you are hit by determines the scope of the climate calculation. For a full-scale calculation, all emissions in the three scopes of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol should be included. The chosen system boundary reflects the emission sources of your business and what is relevant to you.

Scope 3 emissions can broadly be seen as another organization's Scope 1 and 2. This means that Scope 3 is often double counted.

Let's take an example:

• Company A purchases PET granules to produce plastic bottles. For them, this is a Scope 3 emission (category 3.1: purchase of goods).
• Trading company B then buys the ready-made plastic bottles from Company A. For them, this is also a Scope 3 emission (category 3.1: purchase of goods).

Because it helps us understand that all activities contribute to emissions at some stage. Scope 3 highlights all emissions created in an activity's value chain - from production to consumption. If companies were not to report their Scope 3 emissions, we run the risk of some emissions disappearing into thin air, even though they have a major impact on the climate.

The first step is to identify the biggest sources of emissions in Scope 3. A good question to ask is: which parts of Scope 3 have the best synergies and overlap with other business priorities? And how will you communicate your actions so that they resonate with your consumers and suppliers?

For example, for an electronics company, reducing the carbon footprint of its products can appeal to consumer groups, provide a competitive advantage, increase investor interest and give stakeholders more confidence in the company's emission reduction targets.

Reporting of emissions in Scope 2 involves two main methods: location-based and market-based calculations.

• For location-based calculations, emissions are calculated based on the average emission level of the electricity network in a specific geographical area, regardless of where the electricity is purchased. This method reflects the emissions associated with the local energy mix used to generate electricity.
• For market-based calculations, emissions are accounted for based on the specific energy mixes purchased, including renewable energy certificates (RECs).

Companies can choose to report under both methods to get a comprehensive picture of their emissions and show how their energy choices affect emissions.

Location-based accounting often shows higher emissions in regions dependent on fossil fuels, while market-based accounting can show lower emissions when companies actively invest in renewable energy sources.

The Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) is an initiative built around target setting in line with the 1.5 degree target. The initiative is a collaboration between CDP, UN Global Compact, WRI and WWF. A large number of companies have now signed up to, and had their climate targets approved under the initiative.

Scope 1, 2 and 3 targets must meet SBTi's validation criteria and target setting methodology, regardless of company growth. To understand how growth affects emissions, it is valuable to analyze emissions data alongside financial performance to separate and evaluate their relationship. This helps to determine how much growth actually affects emissions.

Next, it is useful to identify sources of emissions linked to growth so that measures can be taken to minimize the impact. For example, if you are planning to open a new facility that will increase energy consumption, the focus should be on using renewable energy to reduce CO2 emissions. This measure can then be applied to all your facilities.

For targets to be approved by the SBTi, they must be in line with the SBTi criteria. Each criterion must be met for an objective to be approved. Conducting a gap analysis between your objectives and the SBTi criteria is a good way to ensure that your submission will be accepted. Consider enlisting the help of an external expert if needed.

Common concerns include limitations in scope (e.g. exemptions), ambition levels and Scope 3 emissions (e.g. incomplete review or insufficient coverage of targets). Therefore, ensure that these areas receive sufficient focus.

SBTi does not currently monitor companies' progress towards their set targets directly. However, all companies with approved targets are required to report their total emissions annually to ensure that progress can be tracked. If it appears from these reports that a company is not meeting its targets, SBTi reserves the right to remove the company from external materials and websites.

It is common for companies not to know every measure required to reach their targets initially. There will always be some uncertainties, which is completely fine, as the known measures are likely to offer many opportunities for first-stage emission reduction, while the company, industry and society continue to develop new solutions.