Carbon Emissions Reporting

Getting Started with Carbon Foot printing for AEMT Members

Not sure where to begin with measuring your organisation’s carbon footprint? This guide is designed for AEMT members, helping them move from defining what needs to be measured to turning emissions data into actionable insights. By following these steps, you’ll not only strengthen compliance but also position your business competitively in supply chains where sustainability reporting is increasingly a requirement.

Key Terms and Concepts

While “carbon footprint” is the common term, a more accurate phrase is greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, since this includes all major climate warming gases, not just carbon dioxide. The following terms are essential to understand before starting:

• Carbon Footprint: Total greenhouse gas emissions from all business activities, represented as tonnes of CO2e.
• Greenhouse Gases (GHGs): A group of seven major warming gases, including carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O).
• CO2e: Carbon dioxide equivalent; a standard metric used to express all GHGs as a single comparable figure.
• Scope 1: Direct emissions from assets you own or control, e.g. test bays, company vehicles, or on-site heating.
• Scope 2: Indirect emissions from purchased energy, typically electricity.
• Scope 3: All other indirect emissions, such as supplier activities, logistics, employee commuting, and waste disposal.

How to Turn Business Data into Emissions Data

The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol is the internationally recognised standard for measuring and categorising emissions. By applying government published emission factors to your activity data such as fuel usage, electricity consumption, or kilometres travelled you can convert operational data into carbon emissions.

There are available free calculators that you can use to make these conversions, such as the free AEMT member calculator, available here.  AEMT Member Carbon Calculator

Example:
If your field engineers travelled 10,000 km in a petrol van:

10,000 km × 0.1645 = 1,645 kg CO₂e or 1.65 tCO₂e.

You can improve accuracy by using engine size, make and model, or best of all, actual fuel volume used, as emissions are directly proportional to fuel combustion.

Scope 1 and 2 First

Start by measuring Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, which are easier to track through utility bills, fuel receipts, and meter readings.
Scope 3 emissions, such as supplier emissions (e.g., motor components or steel castings), waste handling, and distribution logistics, are harder to measure but are critical to generate a complete footprint.

Common Scope 3 Data Sources

Reporting and Interpreting Your Data

Emissions are reported in tonnes of CO₂e (tCO₂e). A robust emissions report should include:

• A baseline year (e.g. 01 April 2023 – 31 March 2024).
• Clear categorisation by Scope 1, 2, and 3.
• A breakdown by category with data quality indicators (e.g., primary data, estimations).
• A carbon intensity metric such as emissions per full-time employee (FTE), which allows you to track performance even as your business grows.

Example Summary Table:

Turning Data into Action

Once you have a baseline, you can see where emissions are concentrated. For example, if Scope 2 electricity accounts for the majority of your footprint, you could:

• Conduct an energy audit of test bays, motor rewind workshops, and HVAC systems.
• Replace high energy equipment with efficient alternatives.
• Switch to renewable power tariffs or consider on site solar for depots.

A Carbon Reduction Plan, aligned with PPN 06/21, is essential if you wish to bid for major UK public contracts. The plan must demonstrate ongoing reductions and progress towards net zero by 2050.

The Bigger Picture: Compliance and Competitiveness

1. PPN 06/21

UK public procurement now requires suppliers over £5m contract value to publish a verified Carbon Reduction Plan. Even smaller AEMT members should prepare, as clients will increasingly demand Scope 1, 2 and 3 data.

2. CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism)

If your supply chain involves imports of steel, aluminium, or cement, CBAM will affect costs and reporting obligations due to its embedded carbon pricing.

3. ISO 14064 and 14068-1:2023

These international standards guide emissions measurement and carbon neutrality claims. Following them improves credibility and aligns with best practice.

Annual Reporting and Net Zero Pathways

• Report annually to track improvements and update stakeholders.
• Use findings to prioritise high impact actions, e.g., optimising delivery routes or recycling copper and steel waste.
• Over time, expand Scope 3 coverage with more accurate supplier and logistics data.
• Achieving net zero requires reducing emissions by at least 90% from your baseline. Only irreducible emissions can be offset, and only through high integrity carbon removals.

Next Steps for AEMT Members

1. Define your carbon footprint boundary, start with Scopes 1 and 2.
2. Collect data from energy, fuel, and logistics systems using GHG Protocol and UK Government emission factors or free calculators.
3. Produce a baseline emissions report, including carbon intensity metrics.
4. Develop a reduction plan aligned with PPN 06/21 and future CBAM exposure.
5. Communicate results with transparency to customers, partners, and regulators.

By embedding carbon measurement and reduction into your operations, AEMT members can not only meet emerging legal and procurement requirements but also gain a competitive edge in a rapidly decarbonising marketplace.