A Customer Is Asking for Emissions Data — Here's Exactly What to Send
Customer Emissions Data Requests — Ireland
Emissions data requests are becoming a standard part of procurement, ESG reporting and supplier assessment across Ireland — not the exception they once were. Your customer usually needs your figures to feed into their own Scope 3 reporting or CSRD obligations, so getting the scope, format and methodology right the first time saves both sides a round of follow-up questions.
Which scopes does your customer actually need?
Emissions are categorised into three scopes under the GHG Protocol. Scope 1 covers direct emissions you control — fuel in company vehicles, on-site heating, refrigerant gases. Scope 2 covers purchased electricity, heating and cooling — for most Irish businesses, this is your grid electricity consumption. Scope 3 is everything else in your value chain, and it's what your customer is usually trying to calculate when they ask you for data — your Scope 1 and 2 become part of their Scope 3 inventory.
Usually mandatory: your total Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions in tCO2e, plus the reporting period covered. Usually optional but strengthens your response: your calculation methodology, intensity metrics (per revenue or per employee), and any reduction targets or initiatives. Most customer requests focus on Scope 1 and 2 — full Scope 3 measurement is usually only expected from large enterprises unless specifically requested.
Immediate checklist: what to include in your response
- Total annual emissions — broken down by Scope 1 and Scope 2, in tCO2e
- Reporting period — typically your calendar or financial year
- Organisational boundary — which parts of your business are included
- Calculation methodology and emission factors used — including whether you used SEAI or EPA published factors
- Any exclusions or limitations — stated clearly rather than left implicit
- Context — reduction initiatives or targets, if you have them
What if you haven't measured emissions before?
Don't panic, and don't go quiet. Acknowledge the request promptly and give a realistic timeframe for delivering the data — most customers understand emissions measurement takes some data gathering. Use this as a chance to clarify exactly what scope and format they need, which will focus your effort on what actually matters.
For a fast initial estimate, gather 12 months of electricity bills, fuel receipts for company vehicles, and heating bills — this covers the majority of most businesses' Scope 1 and 2 emissions. SEAI and commercial online calculators can produce a reasonable estimate within hours. For anything beyond a first response, it's worth investing in a proper ongoing measurement process rather than recalculating from scratch every time a customer asks.
Step-by-step: putting together your response
- 1. Check the format your customer expects. Many requests arrive through EcoVadis, CDP, or a custom supplier questionnaire — complete their template directly rather than sending a standalone document.
- 2. Gather your activity data. Electricity bills, fuel receipts and heating bills for the reporting period cover most of Scope 1 and 2.
- 3. Apply the correct Irish emission factors. Use SEAI or EPA published factors, particularly for grid electricity, which differs from other countries' factors.
- 4. Calculate and total by scope. Keep Scope 1 and Scope 2 separate and express both in tCO2e.
- 5. Document your methodology. Note your boundary, data sources, emission factors used and any exclusions.
- 6. Add context if you have it. Reduction initiatives or targets strengthen the response but aren't usually mandatory.
- 7. Send it in their required format. A structured breakdown by scope, with the reporting period stated, is a professional standard response even without a template.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using the wrong country's emission factors — Ireland's grid electricity factor differs from other countries'; using the wrong one skews your Scope 2 figure.
- Going quiet instead of acknowledging the request — most customers accept a delay if you communicate a realistic timeline; silence looks like non-engagement.
- Attempting full Scope 3 unprompted — unless explicitly requested, this wastes time your customer didn't ask for and delays your response.
- Sending a total with no methodology or period stated — a bare number is hard for the customer to slot into their own reporting.
- Hiding a high figure instead of contextualising it — transparency plus a credible reduction story lands better than an unexplained low number.
How GreenKPO removes the manual work
Most of the effort in answering an emissions data request goes into finding the right bills, applying the correct Irish emission factors, and building a response your customer won't send back with questions. GreenKPO pulls in your electricity, fuel and heating data, applies current SEAI and EPA emission factors, and generates a submission-ready breakdown by scope — with the underlying calculations and source records attached, so you can point to evidence if asked. It doesn't replace your judgement on boundary or methodology decisions; it removes the spreadsheet work behind them, so a request like this takes hours rather than weeks.
Common questions
- How quickly do I need to respond?
Acknowledge the request within 48 hours and give a delivery timeline. If your data is already prepared, a full response within a week is typical; if you're calculating from scratch, 4-6 weeks is reasonable. - Do I need third-party verification of my emissions data?
For most customer requests, self-calculated data with clear methodology documentation is sufficient. Some large customers or formal tender processes may require third-party verification, particularly if your figures feed into their externally reported metrics. - What if my emissions seem high compared to competitors?
Transparency matters more than a perfect figure. Report honestly alongside your reduction initiatives — showing year-on-year improvement is often more compelling than a single low number without context. - Should I include Scope 3 emissions?
Unless specifically requested, focus on Scope 1 and 2 — these are what most customers need and what you have most control over. Comprehensive Scope 3 data is complex and usually only expected from large enterprises.
Related guides
- A customer requested carbon data — what to send
- Supplier sustainability questionnaire
- Respond to a sustainability questionnaire
- A customer asked for your carbon footprint
- A Scope 3 data request from a customer
- Carbon data for a tender
- What carbon data to send a customer
- Audit-ready carbon report for a customer
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