How to Get Suppliers to Participate in Scope 3 Data Collection: A Step-by-Step Guide

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If you’ve already watched our video, “5 Scope 3 Mistakes Sustainability Teams Keep Making (and how to fix them)”, you know that oversimplifying your supply chain is one of the biggest barriers to credible Scope 3 reporting.

And at the heart of that problem?
Getting suppliers to actually participate in Scope 3 data collection!

It’s not easy. Suppliers are stretched thin. Data collection feels burdensome. And unless you’re one of their biggest customers, your requests might fall to the bottom of the priority pile. Truth be told, they are probably feeling the same pressures and challenges when it comes to scope 3 that you are!

But here’s the good news:
Supplier engagement is a skill—and like any skill, it can be learned, systematized, and scaled.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through a step-by-step approach you can start using today to move beyond industry averages and start getting meaningful Scope 3 data from your supply chain.

Step 1: Get Clear on What You Need (Before You Ask)

Before you reach out to a single supplier, define:

  • What data you need (e.g., product-level emissions? facility-level emissions?)
  • Which standards you’re aligning to (e.g., GHG Protocol, CDP Supply Chain)
  • What format you want it in (spreadsheets, CDP questionnaires, internal surveys?)
  • Why it matters (what’s the impact if you don’t get it?)

🎯 Pro Tip: Keep it simple.

Request only what you absolutely need at this stage. Complex or unclear asks = no response.

Step 2: Segment Your Suppliers by Priority

Not all suppliers are created equal for Scope 3 reporting. Focus your engagement where it matters most.

Create a simple segmentation:

  • Tier 1: Largest emissions impact + strategic relationship
  • Tier 2: Moderate emissions impact
  • Tier 3: Minimal impact suppliers

🎯 Pro Tip: Start with Tier 1.

Even securing data from your top 10-20 suppliers can significantly improve your Scope 3 accuracy.

Step 3: Build the Case Before You Make the Ask

Suppliers need to know:

  • What’s in it for them (reduced risk, preferred supplier status, staying ahead of regulation)
  • That you’re serious (part of your ESG program, not just “checking a box”)
  • That help is available (templates, training, support)

Your communication should position this as a partnership, not a compliance exercise.

📄 Need help with this?

Check out our Scope 3 Supplier Engagement Toolkit. It’s packed with resources that will help you navigate the complexities of reaching out to your suppliers to effectively collect your scope 3 data!

Get the Toolkit!

Step 4: Provide Tools and Templates to Make It Easy

The easier you make it for suppliers, the more likely they are to respond.

Offer:

🎯 Pro Tip: Don’t assume they understand ESG jargon.

Use plain language and provide examples wherever possible.

Step 5: Set Clear Deadlines and Follow Up Respectfully

Your initial outreach should include:

  • A clear deadline (2-4 weeks is typical)
  • Instructions on how to submit data
  • A contact person for questions

And then—follow up!!! Suppliers are busy. A polite, professional reminder 1-2 weeks before the deadline is critical.

🎯 Pro Tip:

Frame follow-ups as support, not pressure. Example:
“Just checking if you need any additional help to complete the emissions data request—we’re happy to assist!”

Step 6: Recognize Participation and Share Wins

Suppliers love being recognized—especially when it ties into innovation, leadership, or market trends.

Ideas to incentivize participation:

  • Create a “Sustainability Leader” badge for suppliers
  • Offer public recognition (with permission) in sustainability reports
  • Make Scope 3 engagement part of supplier performance reviews or future contract discussions

🎯 Pro Tip:

Recognition works better than punishment—especially when ESG regulations for supply chains are still evolving.

Bonus: Embed It into Supplier Relationships Long-Term

Once you have your first wave of data, don’t stop.

Make Scope 3 engagement part of:

  • New supplier onboarding
  • Annual supplier evaluations
  • Ongoing training and education programs

🎯 Pro Tip:

Formalize Scope 3 data expectations in contracts and procurement policies moving forward. This reduces the need for constant chasing down the line.

Final Thoughts

Getting suppliers to participate in Scope 3 data collection is about building relationships, simplifying the process, and showing them it matters rather than just shouting louder!

Even small wins—like getting better data from a handful of high-impact suppliers—can significantly move the needle on your ESG reporting and credibility.

Ready to start?

Download our free Scope 3 Supplier Engagement Toolkit for ready-to-go templates, communication guides, and survey examples you can customize for your organization.

Google Cloud Sustainability Tools

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What it is

Google Cloud offers a suite of sustainability tools that help organizations monitor, report, and reduce the carbon footprint of their cloud operations. Their standout feature: the Carbon Footprint Dashboard, which integrates with Google Cloud Console.

What it does

You can access emissions data at a project level, showing gross carbon emissions based on the region where your resources are run. This includes emissions insights per service, enabling engineers and sustainability teams to factor emissions into architectural decisions. All metrics align with the GHG Protocol and are exportable for use in your sustainability reports.

Why it matters

Google Cloud runs on carbon-neutral infrastructure and aims to operate on 24/7 carbon-free energy. Their tools help you align your cloud usage with your own sustainability goals and track the climate impact of your digital infrastructure.

How to get started

The Carbon Footprint Dashboard is available to all Google Cloud users at no extra cost. Log into the Cloud Console, navigate to “Carbon Footprint,” and start tracking your impact right away.

Explore the Google Cloud Sustainability Tool

Microsoft Emissions Impact Dashboard

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What it is

Formerly known as the Microsoft Sustainability Calculator, the Emissions Impact Dashboard provides insights into the greenhouse gas emissions linked to your organization’s use of Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365 services.

What it does

This Power BI-based tool gives a detailed breakdown of your estimated emissions by service, scope (Scope 1, 2, and 3), and geography. It also tracks emissions avoided through Microsoft’s carbon reduction efforts—helping you see not only your impact, but also the savings from using a greener cloud.

Why it matters

Whether you’re building your ESG report, working on internal sustainability KPIs, or trying to reduce cloud costs and carbon together, this dashboard gives you the numbers you need. It supports more informed procurement, usage, and governance decisions aligned with corporate sustainability goals.

How to get started

Download the dashboard from Microsoft AppSource or request it from your Microsoft account representative. Integration with your Azure tenant is straightforward with guidance provided.

Explore the Microsoft Emissions Impact Dashboard
Learn More on Microsoft Learn

Using Scope 3 Reporting to Drive Business Value & Innovation

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Turn compliance challenges into transformative opportunities with our whitepaper on Scope 3 emissions reporting. This guide demonstrates how to leverage regulatory demands, supply chain complexities, and stakeholder expectations into a competitive advantage. Learn to uncover opportunities in your emissions data, set actionable goals, streamline reporting, engage stakeholders, and drive innovation. Simplify compliance while strengthening your brand and optimizing operations.

Download the Whitepaper
Green Quarter ESG Making Scope 3 Emissions Manageable Climate Hero Featured

Scope 3 Supplier Engagement Toolkit

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Uncover and tackle hidden emissions in your supply chain with our Scope 3 Supplier Engagement Toolkit. Designed to simplify the complexities of Scope 3 tracking, this toolkit empowers your business to measure, reduce, and report hard-to-detect emissions with precision. Featuring tools like a customizable data request form and a step-by-step reporting guide, it streamlines supplier communication, enhances data accuracy, and provides a clear view of your environmental impact.

Download Toolkit

Scope 3 Emissions Value Chain Template

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Take control of your sustainability efforts with our Scope 3 Emissions Value Chain Template. This easy-to-use tool helps you map your value chain, uncover emission hotspots, and set actionable reduction targets. Whether you’re tracking upstream suppliers, internal operations, or downstream emissions, this template simplifies the process. Empower your team with clarity, streamline ESG reporting, and make measurable progress toward a more sustainable future. Download now and lead the way.

Download Template
Instructions

TNFD & Biodiversity – Integrating Nature into Business Strategy

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Discover how to effectively integrate biodiversity into your company’s ESG framework with our comprehensive whitepaper, “TNFD & Biodiversity: Integrating Nature into Business Strategy”. This resource is designed to provide practical, actionable solutions for businesses of all sizes, helping you navigate the complexities of biodiversity risk management and align with global frameworks like the TNFD.

Download the Whitepaper

Cloud Carbon Footprint (Open Source Platform)

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What it is

Cloud Carbon Footprint is an open-source tool that provides actionable insights into cloud-related carbon emissions across AWS, Azure, and GCP environments. Built by Thoughtworks, it’s ideal for teams using multiple providers or requiring a customizable approach.

What it does

This tool estimates carbon emissions based on your cloud usage and factors like region, service type, and energy efficiency of infrastructure. It visualizes emissions over time and includes the ability to analyze costs and emissions together to help optimize cloud architectures holistically.

Why it matters

Perfect for multi-cloud or hybrid-cloud environments, this tool empowers engineering and sustainability teams to make informed decisions. As an open-source solution, it also enables transparency and community-driven development around sustainable cloud practices.

How to get started

Visit the GitHub repo, deploy the tool on your own infrastructure, and connect it to your cloud billing data. The setup process is well-documented and flexible for custom needs.

Explore the Cloud Carbon Footprint Tool
Documentation

AWS Customer Carbon Footprint Tool

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What it is

The AWS Customer Carbon Footprint Tool is a built-in reporting solution that helps organizations track, measure, and review the carbon emissions associated with their use of AWS cloud services.

What it does

This tool provides granular visibility into the carbon emissions generated from your AWS workloads across all regions. It calculates Scope 2 emissions based on AWS’s energy consumption and uses a location-based and market-based method aligned with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. Importantly, it also shows your progress toward reduced emissions as AWS transitions to 100% renewable energy.

Why it matters

As cloud usage grows, so does the need for transparency around its environmental impact. This tool helps sustainability and IT teams identify emissions hotspots in their cloud architecture and make data-driven decisions to optimize both performance and carbon output.

How to get started

Access the tool directly in the AWS Billing Console under the “Customer Carbon Footprint Tool” tab. No additional setup is needed—your historical and current emissions are automatically calculated and displayed.

Explore the AWS Customer Carbon Footprint Tool
Learn more

You Can’t Do Scope 3 Alone: Why ESG Teams Need a Cross-Functional Approach

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When we talk to sustainability teams, one phrase keeps popping up when it comes to Scope 3 emissions:

I feel like I’m doing this alone.

And the truth? You probably are doing it alone. You are basically in the wrong place, at the wrong time, lacking the right people. It’s kind of like standing alone, in the middle of the desert, wearing a ball gown! You can go in with the best of intentions, but no one is dancing!

Whether you’re managing emissions disclosures, prepping for CSRD, or just trying to make sense of supply chain data, Scope 3 can feel like a beast you’ve been left to tame with nothing but spreadsheets, goodwill, and a prayer. But here’s the thing—Scope 3 reporting was never meant to be a solo act. It touches too many parts of the business. If you want your Scope 3 data to be meaningful, accurate, and—let’s be honest—doable, you need to treat it as a team effort.

Let’s talk about why, who needs to be involved, and how to actually get them on board.

The Risk of Going Solo

You can’t report what you can’t access. And many ESG teams are stuck:

  • Estimating supplier emissions with generic data
  • Manually searching for travel and logistics spend
  • Guessing what IT systems might have the data they need
  • Chasing down someone in procurement… again

The result? Incomplete or outdated Scope 3 inventories. A report that’s more checkbox than strategy. And stakeholders who see ESG as a cost center, not a source of insight.

Who Should Be Involved?

Here’s your core Scope 3 crew—the departments that can turn your Scope 3 reporting from reactive to proactive:

Procurement

They’re the gatekeepers to supplier data.

  • Help you identify high-emissions suppliers
  • Embed emissions disclosure into contracts
  • Lead supplier engagement efforts

Finance

Own the spend data you’re basing estimates on.

  • Help categorize and validate Scope 3 data
  • Support modeling approaches for purchased goods/services

IT/Data

Your bridge to actual systems and integrations.

  • Provide access to ERP, travel platforms, supplier systems
  • Help automate data pulls and reduce manual grunt work

HR

Underestimated, but critical.

  • Has commuting and hybrid work data
  • Manages travel policies and behavior

Legal / Compliance

Keeps things above board.

  • Supports contract clauses, supplier NDAs, and disclosure standards

Operations

They know how things really run.

  • Provide ground-truth insights on material usage and logistics

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How To Actually Get Them Involved

You don’t need a 40-person working group. You need buy-in from key allies and a clear reason for them to care.

Here’s how:

  1. Lead with relevance.
    “We need your help with Scope 3” is vague. Try:
    • “We’re trying to reduce risk in our supplier network—can I show you the data gaps?”
    • “We want to align with CSRD and we need your input to get it right.”
  2. Make the ask small.
    • One data pull.
    • One policy review.
    • One intro to a supplier.
      Start small, build momentum.
  3. Share the win.
    • If your Scope 3 insights help finance avoid risk or support procurement in supplier scoring, tell them.
    • Make it their win, too.
  4. Build the system, not the spreadsheet.
    • Ask IT for system-level access or automation, not one-off exports.
    • Start centralizing recurring processes (quarterly supplier updates, commuting data, etc.)

Scope 3 reporting isn’t just a technical challenge. It’s an organizational one. And if you’re still trying to do it alone, you’re working too hard for too little payoff.

Start small. Engage one team. Build one process. It’s not about perfection—it’s about progress.

Need more?

If you want to see more on common mistakes that sustainability teams make when tracking and reporting on Scope 3 data, why not check out our video: