Scope 3.7: Employee commuting

Learn how the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol defines Scope 3.7 emissions, how the protocol recommends calculating them and how they are actually calculated in Climate Reporting

How are Scope 3.7 emissions defined in the GHG Protocol?

Scope 3.7 covers indirect emissions from transportation of employees between their homes and worksites. These emissions typically arise from air, rail, bus, and car travel, as well as other modes of transport, and companies may also include emissions from teleworking (i.e., employees working remotely) in this category. A reporting company’s emissions from employee commuting therefore include the Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions of employees and third-party transportation providers.

​​How does the GHG Protocol recommend calculating Scope 3.7 emissions?

Companies may use the following methods to calculate Scope 3.7 emissions, listed from highest to lowest accuracy: fuel-based, distance-based, and average-data methods

1. Fuel-based method
   • This method involves multiplying physical activity data (fuel use data obtained from employees) with the emission factor of the fuel consumed (represented in grams or kilograms of CO2-equivalent per litre/kg of fuel).
   • Possible activity data includes:
     1. Quantity of different fuels consumed
     2. If fuel use data is unavailable, amount spent on different fuels together with their average prices to estimate fuel consumption
   • Possible data sources can include:
     1. Fuel receipts
     2. Annual surveys/questionnaires to employees
   • Emission factors needed:
     1. Fuel emission factors, expressed in units of emissions per unit of energy consumed (e.g. kg CO2e/liter)
     2. For electric vehicles, electricity emission factors, expressed in units of emissions per unit of electricity consumed (e.g. kg CO2e/kWh)
2. Distance-based method
   • This method involves multiplying physical activity data (kilometers travelled by vehicle type) by industry average distance-based emission factors (represented in grams or kilograms of CO2-equivalent per kilometer travelled).
   • Possible activity data includes:
     1. Total distance travelled by employees using different modes of transport
   • Possible data sources can include:
     1. Annual surveys/questionnaires to employees
     2. Odometer logs
   • Emission factors needed:
     1. Emission factors for each mode of transport, expressed in kg CO2e emitted per kilometer or per passenger-kilometer travelled
3. Average-data method
   • This method involves multiplying secondary activity data (estimated distance travelled and assumed mode of transport) by industry average distance-based emission factors.
   • Possible activity data includes:
     1. Average distance employees travel to work, along with the breakdown of transport modes they use, and the total number of employees.
   • Possible data sources can include:
     1. Surveys from national transportation departments, ministries, national statistics publications, and/or industry associations
   • Emission factors needed:
     1. Emission factors for each mode of transport, expressed in kg CO2e emitted per kilometer or per passenger-kilometer travelled

How are Scope 3.7 emissions calculated in Climate Reporting?

Climate Reporting currently does not support Scope 3.7.

How are Scope 3.7 emissions displayed in Climate Reporting ?

App

Climate Reporting currently does not support Scope 3.7.

Report

Climate Reporting currently does not support Scope 3.7.