Measure your Scope 3 from activity data
Most of your impact sits in Scope 3. Start measuring it from
your product data, not spend-based estimates.
your product data, not spend-based estimates.
ISO 14040, 14044
methodology
methodology
CSRD & VSME
aligned
aligned
Every source
traceable
traceable
Audit-ready
from day one
from day one
What gets in the way
Three reasons most retailers
can't measure their Scope 3
The data lives in too many places
Scope 3 Category 1 needs procurement data: products, materials, suppliers, transport. That data is scattered across ERP, PLM, supplier files, and spreadsheets. None of it was set up to feed an emissions calculation.
LCA work is too expensive
at scale
at scale
Turning product data into emissions figures takes LCA expertise most teams don't have in house. Hiring a consultant to do it product category by product category runs into months of work and tens of thousands of euros.
Spend-based estimates
won't pass review
won't pass review
Spend-based numbers are quick to produce and easy to publish. They're also now rejected by CSRD auditors and SBTi reviewers. You'll have to do the whole data project again, this time properly.
How Root solves it
From scattered procurement data
to an activity-based
Scope 3 measurement
to an activity-based
Scope 3 measurement
Automatic GHG Protocol categorisation across all 15 Scope 3 categories.
Activity-based, not spend-based.
Activity-based, not spend-based.
01
Connect data
02
Match factors
03
Run calculations
04
Stay updated
Step 1
Bring together the data Scope 3 needs
Scope 3 spans 15 categories, each with different data sources. Root brings them all together into one place.
For Category 1, your purchased goods, Root collects product-level data from your ERP, PLM, and supplier systems, including materials, weight, origin, production methods, and transport per SKU. For the remaining categories, Root collects the operational data behind outbound logistics, business travel, waste, and employee commuting.
For Category 1, your purchased goods, Root collects product-level data from your ERP, PLM, and supplier systems, including materials, weight, origin, production methods, and transport per SKU. For the remaining categories, Root collects the operational data behind outbound logistics, business travel, waste, and employee commuting.
Step 2
Match every input to a verified emission factor
Root's AI matching engine connects every product and every operational input to a verified emission factor from Ecoinvent and other verified databases. Across your full catalogue at once.
The engine picks the most accurate factor for each input, shows the reason for the pick, and flags where primary supplier data would sharpen the result further.
The engine picks the most accurate factor for each input, shows the reason for the pick, and flags where primary supplier data would sharpen the result further.
Step 3
Run the full calculation, then classify automatically
One run produces a full LCA across your product catalogue. Calculations are in line with the ISO 14040/14044 LCA and ISO 14067 PCF methodologies.
Every assumption is documented. Every source is traceable.
Every assumption is documented. Every source is traceable.
Step 4
Keep your Scope 3 up to date as products
change
change
When a product changes, a supplier updates, or operational data shifts, Root recalculates the affected categories automatically.
Your Scope 3 stays accurate without a new data collection cycle before every reporting deadline.
Your Scope 3 stays accurate without a new data collection cycle before every reporting deadline.
Scope 3 is where your impact actually sits.
Root measures it from your data, not spend-based estimates.
Root measures it from your data, not spend-based estimates.
Ready to measure
your Scope 3?
your Scope 3?
What you get
You see exactly
where your
emissions sit
where your
emissions sit
Your Scope 3 is now activity-based, broken down by product line, supplier, material, and lifecycle stage. Every emission factor is documented. Every calculation follows the GHG Protocol. When CSRD auditors ask how a number was reached, the answer is on file.
For the first time, your Scope 3 measurement isn't an estimate. It's a dataset you can act on. The same data feeds your CSRD disclosure, SBTi baseline, and reduction planning. One data foundation. Every report, footprint, and sustainability claim draws from the same source.
For the first time, your Scope 3 measurement isn't an estimate. It's a dataset you can act on. The same data feeds your CSRD disclosure, SBTi baseline, and reduction planning. One data foundation. Every report, footprint, and sustainability claim draws from the same source.
Benefits
Three ways activity-based
Scope 3 pays off
Scope 3 pays off
Reduction becomes possible
You can't meaningfully reduce what you can't specifically measure. With activity-based Scope 3, you can see your emissions sit in a specific material, a specific production region, or your highest-turnover product lines.
SBTi targets based on real measurements
It's almost impossible to set a credible target based on an estimate. With activity-based Scope 3, your SBTi baseline is grounded in real product data.
Your CSRD disclosure is already done
Activity-based Scope 3 is what CSRD auditors now require. Once you've measured properly, your disclosure is a by-product, not a separate project.
Why it matters
You measure what you own.
The impact sits in what you buy
The impact sits in what you buy
Supply chain emissions are on average 26 times greater than a company's own emissions. Yet only 15% of companies have set a Scope 3 target. Most are twice as likely to measure what they own as what they buy.
Source:
BCG & CDP, "Scope 3 Upstream: Big Challenges,
Simple Remedies," June 2024.
Simple Remedies," June 2024.
Get started now
Start measuring
your Scope 3
In a guided demo, we show how Root produces an activity-based
Scope 3 from the data you already have.
Scope 3 from the data you already have.
FAQs
Common questions about Scope 3 with Root.
Do we need primary data from every supplier to get started?
No. Root starts with the data you have today. Where supplier-specific data is missing, Root makes verified estimates and flags where primary data would improve accuracy. You add supplier data over time, and your Scope 3 keeps getting more accurate.
Will this hold up to CSRD assurance?
Yes. CSRD's European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS E1) requires Scope 3 disclosure across all 15 categories, using GHG Protocol methodology. Root produces exactly that. Every calculation follows the GHG Protocol. Every input has a documented source. Auditors get the evidence they need: data lineage, factor sources, assumption logs.
How does this compare to spend-based Scope 3?
Spend-based Scope 3 multiplies your supplier spend by an industry-average emission factor. It's fast but now rejected by CSRD auditors and SBTi review. Activity-based Scope 3 uses your actual product data, so the measurement reflects what you actually buy and sell.
Which Scope 3 categories does Root cover?
All 15. Category 1 (purchased goods and services) is the largest source for most retailers, and Root produces it at activity level using your product data. The remaining categories are produced from the relevant operational data sources, including outbound logistics, business travel, waste, and employee commuting.
How does this connect to our other sustainability work?
The same dataset that produces your Scope 3 powers your CSRD disclosure, SBTi baseline, and reduction planning. One data foundation for every report, footprint, and sustainability claim.