Avoided emissions are emissions that do not occur in the first place. These non-existent emissions are often used by companies to advertise their climate-friendly products. They thus form a new category alongside the common terms Scope 1, 2 and 3 and create a positive perspective for evaluating and communicating a company's impact on the climate.
Five Glaciers Consulting uses systematic analyses to support companies in identifying and clearly naming the emissions they avoid and therefore do not generate in the first place. In this way, we provide transparent and verifiable data that describes your climate friendliness in real terms and creates the basis for proactive communication and marketing. True to the motto: Do good and talk about it (in a well-founded way)!
Analyze company activities
Compile relevant data for carbon footprint
Balance emissions (Scope 1, 2 and 3)
Create CCF report
Fulfill CSRD reporting obligations
Identify main sources of emissions
Meeting customer requirements
Creating the basis for your climate strategy
Determining the scope of the project
Pragmatic closing of data gaps
Proactive project management
Further cooperation on request
Calculating actual emissions from companies is not trivial, but it is certainly feasible. Calculating avoided emissions is even more challenging. Developing hypothetical scenarios that are tailored to the respective company and its production methods requires some practice and experience.
Five Glaciers quantifies the emissions avoided by your company. If you already offer products and services that lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, we support you in underpinning this positive impact with data and using it for external communication and positioning in the market.
Calculating our avoided emissions has helped us to develop a positive sustainability narrative!
Companies that avoid greenhouse gas emissions through innovative products, processes and services open up a new dimension of environmental responsibility and proactive sustainability management. It is only legitimate to market this in a positive way and, in the best-case scenario, set an example for many other companies. We would be happy to work with you to build on the emissions you have already avoided - and look at other aspects of your sustainability strategy.
Using the dual materiality analysis as a compass for sustainability in the company
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Implementing the requirements of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive efficiently and securely
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Assess and manage climate risks - as a basis for targeted adaptation to climate change
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Avoided emissions (Scope 4) refer to the emission reductions achieved through the use of climate-friendly products or services compared to a conventional alternative. They are generated outside the direct boundaries of the company, for example through energy-efficient technologies, renewable energies or circular economy models. Scope 4 is particularly relevant for companies that offer climate-friendly solutions and want to demonstrate their positive climate effects.
The calculation is carried out by comparing the emissions of a sustainable product or service with those of a conventional reference solution. All life cycle phases must be taken into account in order to demonstrate a realistic reduction effect. Transparent documentation of the assumptions and data basis is important to ensure a credible calculation.
Avoided emissions are not part of a company's official carbon footprint in accordance with the GHG Protocol, but are supplementary information. However, companies can use them to present their positive climate impact, for example in sustainability reports or investor relations. For credible communication, it is important to clearly differentiate Scope 4 from your own Scope 1-3 emissions.
The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol does not explicitly define Scope 4, but recommends that avoided emissions be disclosed as additional information. International frameworks such as ISO 14067 (Carbon Footprint of Products) and the GHG Protocol for Project Accounting provide methods for calculation. However, there is currently no mandatory standardized reporting for Scope 4.
There are various calculation tools based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methods, such as SimaPro, GaBi or OpenLCA. GHG Protocol Project Accounting and ISO 14067 also offer methods for calculating the carbon footprint of products and services. It is important to choose a consistent method and to document the assumptions transparently.
Let's talk about emissions! We look forward to getting to know you.
Phone: +49 174 1305766
E-mail: info@fiveglaciers.com
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