Global firms to trial new international carbon footprinting standards

A group of 60 firms, including some of the world's largest companies, have this week begun measuring the greenhouse gas emissions from their products and supply chains using two new methodologies.

The frameworks, which could become the basis for new international standards, were developed by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHGP) Initiative, a decade-long partnership between the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).

The initiative had already developed a GHGP accounting tool to enable international organisations to understand, quantify and measure the emissions and electricity consumption of their own operations.

But it has now released two new offerings to cover emissions associated with an organisation's wider activities: the Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard and the Scope 3 (Corporate Value Chain) Accounting and Reporting Standard.

WBCSD president, Bjorn Stigson, said the new measurement methodologies would help firms deliver deeper cuts in carbon emissions. "By taking a more comprehensive approach to greenhouse gas measurement and management, businesses and policymakers can focus attention on the greatest opportunities to reduce emissions within the full value chain, leading to more sustainable decisions about the products they buy, sell and produce," he said.

The 60 companies involved in the trial were chosen from 120 applicants and include a number of global firms such as Airbus, Levi Strauss & Co and Estée Lauder.

The aim of the trial is to ensure the final carbon data is "credible and meaningful" and generate feedback on the practical challenges that organisations may face in implementing the standards. This will ensure that the final versions are easy to deploy and use for businesses of all sizes operating in all sectors and geographies.

The final version of the frameworks is scheduled to be published in December.