Topic Support Network: Sustainable Procurement

Scope 3 Supply Chain (procurement) Emissions: background, methodology & reporting

Background

In January this year HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council for England) published the findings from the research they commissioned to help the higher education (HE) sector measure scope 3 carbon emissions.

Scope 3 emissions are indirect emissions that organisations produce through their activities, but occur from sources not owned or controlled by the organisation. Examples of such activities include business travel, commuting, supply chain (procurement), waste and water.

Arup, De Montfort University and the Centre for Sustainability Accounting (CenSA) were appointed to work on supply chain (procurement), the project team engaged with a range of higher education institutions (HEIs), sector organisations and others.

The outputs in each case are:

• an HE sector baseline of supply chain (procurement) emissions

• definitions for measuring emissions at institutional level that can be included within the Estate Management Statistics (EMS) from 2012-13

• good practice guidance that helps institutions adopt efficient and effective data collection practices

The recommendations in the reports aim to strike a balance between encouraging institutions to report scope 3 data and recognising the potential challenges and resource requirements in capturing data. Reporting this data will provide institutions with information to help manage scope 3 emissions and demonstrate their efforts alongside reductions in scope 1 and 2 emissions. To minimise burden, the work considered existing systems and processes for obtaining information, and aligns with national carbon reporting guidance and protocols.

Event Summary

This meeting aims to give you an understanding of the research carried out on behalf of HEFCE, the methodology and examples of how to gather and report the data. Speakers include:

Keith Robertson, Sustainability Consultant, ARUP
Brendan Reid, Sector Lead, Carbon Trust
Luke Spikes, Chief Executive Officer, Spikes Cavell
Tom Harris, eProcurement Consultant, @UK PLC GreenInsight

Throughout the afternoon there will be plenty of time for group discussion and networking.

Location: George Moore Building, Glasgow Caledonian University.
Please click here to view campus map.

Time: 13.45 - 16.30

Date: Wednesday 24 October, 2012

Final agenda is available below. Resources and presentations are avialable here.