Challenge
A leading horticultural goods producer engaged FSI to calculate and disclose its first scope 3 inventory, strengthening its position as a sustainability leader in the industry. As customer and stakeholder expectations around climate transparency continued to grow, the company recognized the need to establish a comprehensive understanding of its value chain emissions. However, with no prior scope 3 reporting experience, the company needed guidance on which emission categories were relevant to their operations and where to focus their data collection efforts for maximum impact.
Solution
FSI completed the company's first scope 3 GHG emissions inventory, beginning with a comprehensive relevancy assessment. This assessment identified which of the 15 scope 3 categories were both active in the company's value chain and material (representing greater than 2.5% of the estimated total scope 3 footprint). The assessment also evaluated the emissions profiles of the company's various product lines, enabling FSI and the company to prioritize data collection for the largest and most significant sources. Following this strategic groundwork, FSI coordinated data gathering across multiple departments, mapped emission-generating activities throughout the value chain, and calculated the company's complete scope 3 footprint. The inventory provided detailed insights into emissions from business operations, product lifecycles, and transportation activities, establishing a robust baseline for future reduction efforts.
Impact
The company is now in its third year of partnership with FSI, continuing to refine and expand its GHG emissions reporting capabilities. The scope 3 inventory has become a cornerstone of the company's sustainability strategy, supporting both internal decision-making and external communications about its commitment to environmental stewardship. The work has reinforced the company's reputation as a green-minded manufacturer in the horticultural industry and positioned it to meet evolving disclosure requirements from customers, investors, and regulators.