What is Scope 3 Category 7 Emissions?

Category 7 covers emissions from employees traveling between their homes and workplaces. Emissions from employee commuting can come from:

1. Car travel

2. Bus travel

3. Rail travel

4. Air travel

5. Other modes of transportation (e.g., subway, biking, walking)

Companies can also choose to include emissions from teleworking (employees working remotely) in this category. Scope 3 emissions from employee commuting include the Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions of employees and third-party transportation providers.

What Data is Needed to Count the Emissions?

To calculate emissions from employee commuting, you'll need the following data:

1. Modes of transportation: Identify the various modes of transportation used by employees to commute, such as car travel, bus travel, rail travel, air travel, and other modes like subway, biking, and walking.

2. Commuting data: Collect detailed information on employee commutes, including distances, frequency, and types of vehicles used (where applicable).

3. Teleworking data (optional): If you choose to include emissions from teleworking, gather data on the number of employees working remotely, the frequency of remote work, and the resources used (e.g., electricity consumption for home offices).

4. Emission factors: Obtain accurate emission factors for different modes of transportation and, if applicable, for teleworking. These factors can be sourced from governmental or industry-specific guidelines or from organizations like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the World Resources Institute (WRI).

Once you have collected this data, you can calculate your company's emissions from employee commuting by applying the relevant emission factors to the commuting data (distances, frequency, etc.). Add up the emissions from each mode of transportation and, if applicable, from teleworking, to determine the total emissions from employee commuting for Scope 3.

What Methods is Available to Count Emissions from Employee Commuting?

These methods are listed in order of how specific the calculation is to the individual kind of employee commuting activity. However, companies need not always use the most specific method as a first preference.

1. Fuel-based method, which involves determining the amount of fuel consumed during commuting and applying the appropriate emission factor for that fuel

2. Distance-based method, which involves collecting data from employees on commuting patterns (e.g., distance travelled and mode used for commuting) and applying appropriate emission factors for the modes used.

3. Average-data method, which involves estimating emissions from employee commuting based on average (e.g., national) data on commuting patterns.