Reducing carbon emissions has become a priority for organizations across all sectors. Beyond regulatory requirements and stakeholder expectations, understanding and reducing your carbon footprint is a key step toward building a more resilient, efficient, and future-proof business.

What is a carbon footprint?

A carbon footprint represents the total amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated by an organization’s activities. These emissions are typically expressed in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) and include not only carbon dioxide, but also other gases such as methane and nitrous oxide.

By calculating a carbon footprint, organizations gain visibility into how their operations, energy use, supply chains, and products contribute to climate change. This measurement is the foundation for any credible reduction strategy, as it allows companies to move from assumptions to data-driven decisions.

Understanding the three emission scopes

Carbon footprints are structured according to three emission scopes, as defined by internationally recognized standards.

Scope 1 includes direct emissions from sources that are owned or controlled by the organization. This typically covers fuel combustion in company facilities, on-site processes, and company-owned vehicles.

Scope 2 covers indirect emissions associated with the generation of purchased energy, such as electricity, heating, or cooling. Although these emissions occur off-site, they are directly linked to an organization’s energy consumption and can often be reduced through efficiency measures or renewable energy sourcing.

Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions across the value chain. This may involve emissions from purchased goods and services, transportation and logistics, business travel, waste, and even the use of sold products. For many organizations, Scope 3 represents the largest share of their total carbon footprint and the greatest opportunity for impact.

Two key strategies to reduce your carbon footprint

The first and most important step in reducing emissions is measurement. Organizations need a clear and accurate understanding of where their emissions come from across all three scopes. This allows them to identify emission hotspots, prioritize actions, and set realistic and credible reduction targets. Without reliable data, reduction efforts risk being ineffective or misaligned.

The second strategy is to focus on reducing emissions at the source. Once priorities are clear, organizations can implement targeted actions such as improving energy efficiency, transitioning to renewable energy, engaging suppliers on low-carbon solutions, optimizing logistics, or redesigning processes and products. Sustainable reduction is achieved through long-term operational and strategic changes, rather than short-term offsets alone.

Turning insight into action

Reducing a carbon footprint is not a one-off exercise, but an ongoing process that evolves with the organization. With the right tools, data, and guidance, companies can turn carbon measurement into a strategic advantage—lowering costs, improving efficiency, and strengthening trust with customers, investors, and regulators.

At TSN, we offer specialized consulting and training in key areas such as:

• Carbon footprint calculation (ISO 14064, GHG Protocol).
• Emissions reduction plans.
• Climate transition plans (WWF and other reference standards).
• Alignment with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
• Climate resilience strategies, green bonds, and sustainable financing.

Our goal is to help you not only comply with regulations, but to go beyond legal compliance, facilitating effective risk management, real emissions reduction, and the identification of value opportunities.

Want to know more?

If you’d like to better understand your organization’s carbon footprint and identify practical, high-impact reduction opportunities, we offer a free introductory session.