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Guidelines for BT suppliers reporting emissions and reduction targets to
CDP
BT is seeking continuous improvement of its scope 3 Greenhouse Gas emissions reporting. This
includes emissions embodied in all its procurement. In order to make the best practical estimate of
suppliers’ Scope 1 and 2 emissions that are attributable to BT’s supply chain, BT is seeking wherever
possible to make use of supplier emissions data, as disclosed to CDP. Where this is not possible BT is
able to fall back upon a more generic methodology to make its estimates. However, the use of CDP
data is preferable since it stands to enable estimates that are both more realistic and better at
reflecting each supplier’s energy efficiency improvements.
In order to be able to use a supplier’s CDP data, there are some simple data requirements in terms of
exactly what is reported and in what format. These are outlined below.
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Scope 1 and Scope 2 total emissions in units of metric tonnes CO2e within the reporting
period. (Questions 8.2 and 8.3 in the 2014 submission)
Gross combined Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions for the reporting year in metric tonnes CO2e
per unit currency total revenue. Care needs to be taken not to lose track of orders of
magnitude, for example by using a figure that is in thousand or million currency units rather
than per single unit. (Question 12.2 in 2014 submission)
The currency needs to be specified. (Question 0.4 in the 2013 submission)
The time period to which the emissions relate needs to be specified. (Question 0.2 in the
2014 submission)
It is useful to disclose the revenue figure for the business within the boundary of the
organisation to which the emissions pertain. (This allows a sense check of the carbon
intensity figure).
Ideally the currency used throughout the CDP reporting will be Pounds Stirling, Euros or US
dollars.
Emissions reduction targets are valuable to BT for its own supply chain carbon projections and
potentially for feeding into its own procurement decision process. Targets need to be reported in
terms of reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions intensities, either separately or combined,
and in the same units as the emissions intensities, with the timescale clarified. Example: Scope 1
emissions intensity reduction of 0.050 kg CO2e/£ from 2010 levels by 2020 and Scope 2 emissions
intensity of 0.035 kgCO2e/£ from 2010 levels by 2020.
For guidance on responding to CDP’s questionnaire, please visit CDP’s supply chain guidance
webpage. If you have any other questions, please send them to respond@cdp.net. Finally, Click
here to watch videos from CDP supply chain member companies to learn their motivations for
engaging their strategic suppliers on these important issues, how they use the reported data, as
well as their targets to drive further action going forward.