For users without a connected accounting platform, or where the date range is prior to your integration start date.
Introduction
Sage Carbon Accounting is built to help small and medium-sized businesses measure their carbon footprint - whether you're just starting out or working toward compliance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHGP).
Sage Carbon Accounting can generate carbon estimates using limited data, which is helpful when you're beginning your sustainability journey. However, estimates based on incomplete or generic data may not meet GHG Protocol standards.
If you're aiming for a GHG Protocol compliant footprint for Scopes 1, 2, and upstream Scope 3, this guide walks you through the extra steps you need to take, broken down into each module. By following these steps, you'll improve data quality and generate a carbon footprint you can confidently share with customers, investors, or suppliers.
General guidance
Always enter the most specific data available for each module. Modules list data types from most to least specific; choosing the top option and ensuring it covers all relevant business activities will keep your carbon footprint fully compliant with the GHG Protocol.
It’s acceptable for your business to have no activities in certain modules. For example, while most businesses will have Energy or Purchased Goods emissions, many will not have Process or Fugitive Emissions. You can select “I don’t have these emissions” for any module, which results in a no-emissions footprint for that module and remains compliant with the GHG Protocol.
If you lack records for certain activities, especially for historic periods, you can select “I can’t provide any details.” However, this creates a gap in your footprint and means it will not be compliant with the GHG Protocol.
Data required per module
The following is what you need to enter manually via the Module pages for GHG Protocol compliance:
For all of your energy emissions you must enter Energy type, payment method and quantity purchased.
Where you pay for energy using a Dual Fuel tariff both electricity and gas must be entered individually.
Entering energy type, payment method, and cost data is not compliant. | |
Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) value for all of your Process Emissions.
Entering any process activity or activities and amount processed data is not compliant. | |
Gas type and weight for all of your fugitive emissions. | |
Fuel type, vehicle ownership, and fuel amount purchased for all of your Vehicle Emissions.
Entering any fuel type, vehicle ownership, and total fuel cost data is not compliant. | |
You must represent your purchased goods by providing for each good either Total cost of purchase or Total weight of purchase.
The GHG Protocol requires emissions categories to be specific. Generic or overly broad categories are not compliant. Therefore when adding purchased goods data you will need to avoid using: •any category with “unknown” in the name. •the category “Other purchased goods” Instead, choose more detailed options - for example, use "Meat" instead of "Unknown Food & drink".
If you enter any purchased goods data using the total weight of purchase option, you must also make sure you add distinct data to account for the transportation emissions of this item in the Upstream distribution module.
If you use the total cost of purchase option for purchased goods, you do not need to enter any data to account for transportation, as the total cost of purchase calculation includes an estimate of transport emissions. | |
For all your purchased service emissions you must enter Type and cost of service.
The GHG Protocol requires emissions categories to be specific. Generic or overly broad categories are not compliant. Therefore when adding purchased services data you will need to avoid using any category with “unknown” in the name.
Instead, choose more detailed options - for example, use "Telecommunications" instead of "Unknown IT, media and telecom". | |
For both water and wastewater, you must enter one of the following: •Volume of water used •Cost of water used •Your council tax band if the premises is in Scotland.
Entering an unknown council tax band is not compliant. | |
You must enter all your distribution emissions as either: •Weight of shipped goods and transport distance or •Total transport distance or •Total cost of transport.
You must enter all your warehousing emissions as: •Total cost of transport.
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For all your waste emissions you must enter Waste type and weight.
Entering any waste type and cost of disposal or cost of disposal data is not compliant | |
For all your travel emissions you must enter Mode of transport and cost.
Entering any only the cost data is not compliant.
Hotels emissions are optional under the greenhouse gas protocol. It is recommended that you do include them in your carbon footprint, you will be prompted to do this after entering your travel data.
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For all your commuting and working from home emissions you must enter all the required data under the workplace address, employee count, and how often they work from this address option.
Note: The Remote Location option requires only an employee count and prepopulates time working from this location to 100%. This option is compliant with the GHG Protocol. |
Note: According to the GHG Protocol, it isn't mandatory to manually collect usage data for modules such as Purchased Goods, Travel and Hotels, Water, and Upstream Distribution. Still, providing these details - particularly for organisations with significant expenses or activities in these areas - can contribute to a more accurate footprint calculation.
GHGP non-compliant generic categories
These categories are available to select if more specific detail isn't available, however they are not compliant under the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. Choose more detailed options when adding usage for these modules, for example, use "Meat" instead of "Unknown Food & drink".
Energy
Unknown Gaseous fuels
Unknown Solid fuels
Unknown Liquid fuels
Unknown Biofuels
Unknown Biomass
Unknown Biogas
Dual fuel
Vehicles
Unknown Vehicle Fuel
Purchased goods
Unknown Compost
Unknown Food & drink
Unknown Food processing
Unknown Construction materials
Unknown Wood & timber products
Unknown Metals
Unknown Rubber & plastics
Unknown Paper & board
Unknown Packaging
Unknown Clothing
Unknown Glass, ceramics & stone
Unknown Stationery & books
Unknown Chemicals & cleaning
Unknown Electrical goods
Unknown Machinery & equipment
Other manufacturing
Other purchased goods
Purchased services
Unknown Repair & maintenance
Unknown Professional services
Unknown IT, media & telecom
Unknown Mining & extraction
Unknown Construction & real estate
Unknown Education & health
Unknown Culture & sport
Unknown Food & Beverage services
Unknown Other services
Waste
Unknown Waste
Travel and hotels
Unknown Travel
Conclusion
By following these steps to enter the required manual data - you will have created a GHG Protocol compliant carbon footprint for Scopes 1, 2, and upstream Scope 3.
If you're ready to share your results, check out our guide: “How to Share Your Carbon Footprint” for tips on sharing your footprint with customers, suppliers, or other stakeholders.