If your clients have started asking for your carbon footprint — you’re not alone.

Across the UK and Ireland, small and mid-sized businesses are increasingly being asked to share emissions data as part of supply chain questionnaires, tender processes, or funding applications.

For many, this comes as a surprise. What exactly are we meant to report? How do we calculate our carbon footprint? And most importantly, what if the numbers aren’t perfect?

The good news: carbon reporting doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. With the right tools and approach, you can give your clients accurate data — and even use it to stand out from competitors.

Why Your Clients Are Asking for Carbon Data

If you’ve received a carbon reporting request, it’s because your clients are under new pressure to measure and disclose their own emissions. This is often driven by:

Regulations and frameworks: Larger companies must now report emissions under frameworks such as the CSRD, SECR, and ISSB — all of which require supplier (Scope 3) data.

Public procurement rules: In the UK, PPN 06/21 requires suppliers bidding for public contracts to disclose their emissions and Net Zero commitments.

Investor and funding expectations: Access to capital is increasingly linked to sustainability performance, with banks offering lower rates through sustainability-linked loans (SLLs).

In short: your clients need your emissions data to meet their compliance and ESG goals.

What a Carbon Data Request Looks Like

Requests for carbon data can take many forms:

A sustainability questionnaire from a client or procurement portal

An online submission via platforms like EcoVadis or the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)

A simple email asking for your “Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions”

Don’t panic if you see unfamiliar terminology. Most client requests are built around two key frameworks — the GHG Protocol and the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) — which we’ll unpack next.

The GHG Protocol: How Carbon Footprints Are Measured

The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol

is the global standard for measuring and reporting emissions. It breaks your footprint into three “Scopes”:

Scope 1: Direct emissions from your operations (e.g. fuel use, company vehicles).

Scope 2: Indirect emissions from purchased electricity, heat, or steam.

Scope 3: All other indirect emissions — such as purchased goods, business travel, shipping, and employee commuting.

When your client asks for your “carbon footprint,” they’re usually referring to this full Scope 1–3 breakdown.

👉 Learn more about how Emerald Power helps SMEs measure their footprint accurately using the GHG Protocol here

The SBTi: Setting Credible Net Zero Targets

While the GHG Protocol helps you measure emissions, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) helps you set a credible reduction plan.

SBTi-aligned targets ensure your business follows a pathway consistent with the 1.5°C Paris Agreement goal. This means committing to measurable emissions cuts — not just offsetting — with short-term (2030) and long-term (2050) goals.

You don’t need to pay for official SBTi approval unless your client specifically asks. Often, it’s enough to show that your Net Zero plan aligns with SBTi principles.

What to Include in Your Client Carbon Report

Most clients are looking for three key things:

Your carbon footprint (Scopes 1, 2, and 3) calculated in line with the GHG Protocol.

Your Net Zero target and reduction plan, showing how you’ll cut emissions over time.

Assurance that your data is credible — ideally from a trusted third-party platform like Emerald Power.

This gives your client confidence that the numbers are real and comparable with their own data.

Verification vs Assurance: What’s the Difference?

Large corporations often pay for full third-party verification (an external audit of your carbon data), which can cost tens of thousands of pounds.

For SMEs, this isn’t usually required. Instead, most clients accept assurance — meaning your carbon data was measured and reviewed in line with the GHG Protocol by an independent expert or software platform.

At Emerald Power, our platform provides this assurance automatically, giving your clients confidence in your methodology without expensive consultancy fees.

Do You Need SBTi Approval?

Not always. Some clients ask suppliers to set SBTi-approved targets, but most simply expect you to align with the SBTi framework.

By using a platform like Emerald Power, you can create an SBTi-aligned reduction plan and export it directly to your clients — no extra admin or approval fees needed.

Carbon Reduction vs Offsetting: What Clients Expect

Many SMEs ask, “Can’t we just offset our carbon footprint?”

While offsetting still has a role, clients and investors now prioritise real reductions over offsets. That means:

Reduction: Cutting emissions at the source (renewable energy, energy efficiency, greener suppliers).

Offsetting: Investing in certified climate projects to balance unavoidable emissions.

The SBTi framework helps you focus on reductions first — and only offset what you can’t avoid.

Case Study: How SMEs Are Reporting Carbon Data to Clients

An Irish technology firm recently used Emerald Power to report emissions data to a major financial client. Within days, they measured a full Scope 1–3 footprint, received third-party assurance, and exported a report aligned with the GHG Protocol.

Their client accepted the data immediately — no consultant, no spreadsheets, and no delays.

👉 See how Emerald Power simplifies carbon reporting for SMEs here