Downstream Scope 3 Emissions Reporting Resource Available

Downstream Scope 3 Emissions Reporting Resource Available

Introducing the Direct-Use Product Emissions Database (DPED)

• By [ Erin Hiatt ]
• Washington, DC
• 05/21/2024

Today the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) and carbon management software firm Optera announced the launch of the Direct-Use Product Emissions Database (DPED), aiding retailers and their suppliers in bridging scope 3 category 11 greenhouse gas measurement gaps for energy-consuming products like appliances, electronics and power equipment. The tool provides an aligned database for quantifying emissions from such products during their in-use phase, fostering uniform metrics to enhance the comprehension and management of GHG scope 3 category 11 direct-use emissions across the industry.

The DPED was developed via a strategic partnership between RILA and Optera, announced earlier this year, and was guided by input from leading retailers - including Lowe's, Target, Best Buy, The Home Depot, Tractor Supply Company, Wayfair, and Williams-Sonoma - and an ex officio committee of industry and regulatory leaders including the European DIY Retail Association (EDRA), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR, and EPA Center for Corporate Climate Leadership.

To set appropriate climate goals and report emissions as comparably and reliably as possible for stakeholders, retailers need improved access to the best available data and research for how customers use energy-consuming products that are not currently U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR certified. The DPED solution, managed by Optera, consolidates usage and emissions factor data and assumptions from nearly 100 disparate sources to enable consistent and comparable scope 3 emissions reporting at a product category level.

The database contains emissions data for over 180 granular consumer and commercial product types, from top-load washing machines to coffee machines, from air conditioners to lighting fixtures to chainsaws. For each product type, the database provides annual and lifetime emissions figures, along with data quality flags.
Future versions of the DPED will include additional product categories useful to a variety of industries and use cases.

"Driven by product information from leading retailers and with Optera's expertise, DPED is designed to solve for a common challenge among companies committed to reducing their direct-use products' emissions impact - a gap in consistent and comparable data," said RILA Vice President, CSR Erin Hiatt. "We're excited to see the results of industry's efforts come to life in such an impactful way and we look forward to seeing how DPED evolves and expands to benefit industries beyond retail."

"The development of the Direct-Use Product Emissions Database has been a truly impressive effort, with support and input from leading retailers, manufacturers, and industry experts," shared Tim Weiss, CEO of Optera. "This is the level of alignment and participation needed to move scope 3 emissions accounting - and decarbonization - forward."

The database will be updated and licensed on an annual basis. In the first year, retailers and any other organizations using the database for their own organization's emissions calculations will be eligible to license DPED for free. To support future database updates and improvements, licensing fees will apply for organizations supporting multiple clients or incorporating the data into their commercial offerings. More information on pricing and methodology can be found on the DPED webpage.

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About RILA
RILA is the US trade association for leading retailers. We convene decision-makers, advocate for the industry, and promote operational excellence and innovation. Our aim is to elevate a dynamic industry by transforming the environment in which retailers operate.

RILA members include more than 200 retailers, product manufacturers, and service suppliers, which together account for more than $2.7 trillion in annual sales, millions of American jobs, and hundreds of thousands of stores, manufacturing facilities, and distribution centers domestically and abroad.

About Optera
Optera is the ESG software for bold climate action. Built on decades of sustainability expertise, Optera helps corporations worldwide reduce their environmental impact by providing credible carbon accounting for Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, actionable insights and forecasts, and tools to collaborate with supply chain and investment partners. Our clients lead many of the world's most established and ambitious corporate sustainability programs, from Dell and HPE to BSR and Bloomin' Brands. Optera also partners with leading NGOs such as BSR, CDP, and the World Economic Forum to advance corporate ESG practices globally. Optera is registered as a Public Benefit Corporation in the State of Delaware.

Tags

• Climate and Sustainability
• Ensuring a Safe, Sustainable Future
• Sustainability & Environment