Enterprise emissions management software provider Optera recently announced a major initiative with the Retail Industry Leaders Association to create an emission reporting tool for direct-use products like appliances, electronics and outdoor power equipment.
The tool, Direct-Use Product Emissions Database, will measure emissions classified under the GHG Protocol’s Category 11 (use of sold products), a scope 3 category. As founding supporters of the initiative, Lowe’s and Target were among the nine association members that identified these scope 3/Category 11 challenges and opportunities in today’s reporting environment and are collaborating with industry peers and Optera on developing the tool.
“For many retailers, the bulk of their greenhouse gas emissions come from consumers using the products they sell,” Tim Weiss, CEO of Optera, said in a news release. “From lawnmowers to kitchen appliances, retailers need a consistent way to evaluate the emissions impact of their products.”
The database is expected to be published in March 2024, rolling out amid a flurry of sustainability reporting directives that have emerged in the EU and are expected in the U.S.
