For a logistics business, carbon reporting is mostly fuel reporting. Get the fuel right, in litres, and most of the footprint is done. The rest is depots, subcontractors and the refrigeration on chilled vehicles.
Where logistics emissions come from
| Source | Scope | What to collect |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel for your own HGVs and vans | Scope 1 | Fuel cards and bunkered fuel, in litres |
| Fuel for refrigeration units | Scope 1 | Litres, if fuelled separately (often gas oil) |
| Refrigerant top-ups on chilled vehicles and depots | Scope 1 | Service records, by refrigerant gas and kilograms |
| Depot and warehouse electricity | Scope 2 | Bills in kWh, including electric forklift and vehicle charging |
| Depot heating | Scope 1 | Gas or oil bills |
| Subcontracted haulage and couriers you pay | Scope 3, category 4 | Tonne-kilometres by vehicle type, or the subcontractor's figures |
| Pallet wrap, packaging and depot waste | Scope 3, category 5 | Waste contractor reports |
| Drivers and staff getting to depots | Scope 3, category 7 | A commuting survey |
Report an intensity ratio as well, such as tonnes of CO2e per million kilometres or per tonne delivered. It shows a buyer your efficiency even while you grow.
Reductions buyers recognise
- Driver training and telematics to cut idling and harsh driving;
- route optimisation and fuller loads, fewer empty miles;
- HVO or electric vehicles where the routes suit them;
- lower-impact refrigerants and fixing leaks quickly;
- LED lighting and a renewable tariff at depots.
Getting started
Check whether you need SECR with our free SECR checker, download theCarbon Reduction Plan template, or convert your fuel use with theCO2e calculator. Carbon Recycling takes fuel card exports by CSV and produces both the Carbon Reduction Plan and the SECR report from the same figures.