Scope 3 Emissions – Why Freight Forwarders Can’t Afford to Ignore Them

by James Blackman

Let’s be honest—Scope 3 is the elephant in the emissions room

f you’ve ever stared at a carbon report and thought, “Where on earth do these numbers come from?”—you’re not alone. Most businesses have a handle on Scope 1 and 2 emissions (you know, the fuel you burn and the electricity you use). But Scope 3? That’s the wild west. It’s everything you don’t directly control, but that still lands on your emissions ledger—like your suppliers’ fuel choices, your upstream freight, even your customers’ disposal methods.

For freight forwarders and ESG managers, this isn’t just a future problem. It’s a right now problem. Because Scope 3 can account for more than 70% of a company’s total emissions, according to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. And if you’re not reporting it, you’re not really reporting.

So, what are Scope 3 emissions?

Think of emissions reporting like a pint of beer.

Scope 1 is the brewing process—the emissions from actually making the stuff.
Scope 2 is the electricity that powers the brewery.
Scope 3? That’s the trucks delivering it, the bottle suppliers, the pubs serving it, and the recycling (or not) after it’s drunk.

In freight, Scope 3 emissions come from things like:

Subcontracted haulage
Ocean and air freight emissions
Port handling
Last-mile delivery
Packaging production
Even business travel and outsourced IT services

You can’t dodge them—and soon, you won’t be allowed to.

Not tracking Scope 3 puts your contracts at risk

More clients are baking emissions reporting into tenders. If you can’t provide credible carbon data for your upstream and downstream activities, someone else will. It’s that blunt.

We’ve heard stories from forwarders losing contracts not on price, but on reporting capability. “We love you guys, but the other supplier had the CO₂ breakdown ready to go.” Ouch.

With frameworks like ISO 14083 raising the bar, and the UK’s SECR and EU CSRD tightening the rules, ESG managers are under pressure to clean up the supply chain—and that means visibility into Scope 3.

Okay, but how do you report what you can’t control?

That’s the million-pound question. And the honest answer is: you need better tools.

You can’t rely on industry averages or guesswork anymore. Telling your client “air freight from China is about 1.5 tonnes of CO₂” won’t cut it. They’ll want to know what aircraft, what route, what uplifted weight. They’ll want shipment-level detail—and rightly so.

That’s where platforms like CocoonCarbon® come in.

Why CocoonCarbon® changes the game

We built CocoonCarbon® for this exact reason. It captures emissions data per shipment, across all transport modes—road, rail, air, sea—using real routing data and current emissions factors aligned with the GHG Protocol.

No more guesstimates. No more “we’ll get back to you.” Just clear, accurate numbers—automatically generated, shareable with clients, and fully audit-ready.

It slots right into your TMS (even CargoWise), or works as a standalone dashboard if you’re still transitioning away from spreadsheets. And it’s built by freight people, not abstract sustainability consultants.

ESG isn’t fluff anymore—it’s business-critical

We’ve all seen the ESG tick-box approach: throw in a tree-planting scheme and hope nobody asks questions. That era is over.

Investors are asking. Regulators are asking. Customers are definitely asking. And while Scope 1 and 2 emissions are relatively easy to clean up, Scope 3 is where the real scrutiny is landing.

If you don’t have a credible plan to measure and reduce Scope 3 emissions, you’re exposed—from both a compliance and reputational point of view.

Still not convinced? Let’s break it down:

If you’re an ESG manager, tracking Scope 3 gives you:

Confidence in your total emissions footprint
A clearer path to net-zero targets
Fewer awkward questions from auditors

If you’re a freight forwarder, it gives you:

A competitive edge in tenders
A stronger relationship with eco-conscious clients
Proof that you’re more than just a transport provider—you’re a supply chain partner

And if you’re both? Well, now we’re talking.

Final thought: You can’t reduce what you don’t measure

I get it—Scope 3 feels complicated. It’s broad. It’s messy. And yes, it involves working with data from suppliers, subcontractors, and third parties. But that’s no excuse to ignore it.

Tools like CocoonCarbon® make it manageable. You get clarity, compliance, and credibility. All from one place.

So, if you’re serious about ESG, it’s time to shine a light on the part of your emissions profile that’s been hiding in plain sight.

Start tracking your Scope 3 emissions today—accurately, automatically, and without the headache.