Case Study
Reporting Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Background
Walmart has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions across its supply chain by 1 billion metric tons of CO2e by 2030, through a program dubbed Project Gigaton. Walmart also participates in The Sustainability Index (THESIS), which collects sustainability metrics, including greenhouse gas emissions intensity, from suppliers.
Initially, participation in these programs was voluntary. In 2019, however, Walmart changed its supplier selection criteria to include sustainability and reiterated the importance of participation in these disclosures.
Faced with this new buying criteria, a fresh produce company supplying to Walmart suddenly had a six-week, non-negotiable deadline to complete Walmart’s most recent sustainability disclosure request. This required conducting the company’s first greenhouse gas inventory, in order to report to Walmart’s Project Gigaton and THESIS.
With no sustainability experts on staff to lead the way, the company quickly realized it needed help. The company turned to Measure to Improve because of MTI’s reputation in the industry, team approach, expertise, and ability to make the tight timeline.
Impact - Fast Action
The MTI team leapt into action, working side-by-side with a small client green team with representatives from marketing, operations and purchasing. With a common goal and a six-week deadline, team cooperation and information sharing developed quickly. The first step was to define the boundaries of the analyses. Together, MTI and the green team determined which facility to start on for the first year and got to work.
Using client-provided data, MTI calculated and reported direct emissions from sources owned and controlled by the client (Scope 1) and indirect emissions for the generation of energy used at the facility (Scope 2). This included identifying, gathering, and quantifying 210 sources of emissions and computing over 175 separate calculations!
In all, MTI helped the client team to comprehensively answer seven core questions demonstrating intent and progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. By submitting its first Walmart sustainability disclosures, the client is demonstrating to Walmart that they are committed to making sustainability improvements and remaining a viable fresh produce supplier.
Results
The client’s greenhouse gas emissions were reported to Walmart, and the project was completed on-time.
The client demonstrated their commitment to making sustainability improvements and remaining a viable fresh produce supplier to Walmart.
The client received a customized Greenhouse Gas Inventory Dashboard that provided transparency into the data collected, the conversion calculations used, and the final data reported to Walmart. A report detailing the process was also included. The dashboard template and report can be used by the green team for the next reporting year and beyond.
Measure to Improve’s Role
Build a Green Team: MTI recommended the client establish an internal green team with representatives from key departments. While MTI’s primary deliverable was the greenhouse gas emissions inventory needed to respond to Walmart, the ultimate goal was to prepare the green team to be self-sufficient in completing and expanding its reporting across the entire operation in the coming years.
Project Management: With only six weeks until the Walmart reporting deadline, MTI and the green team needed to move quickly. MTI outlined the information required and the green team collected it. The data was formatted, stored in a GHG Inventory Dashboard developed by MTI, and converted into carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) using the latest tools and conversion factors, including those for fugitive emissions. Weekly meetings and clear timelines helped ensure that progress was made to meet the goal. In the end, the team was able to finish two days ahead of schedule.
Critical Thinking: Each client’s growing process is unique and requires significant research to ensure an accurate inventory and reporting process. Without industry guidance for the carbon intensity of the client’s specific growing process, MTI created custom calculations to estimate some of the client’s carbon emissions by studying scientific papers and seeking out government and academic expertise to validate the approach. One specific example was the production of compost on-site. As no guidance existed for calculating emissions from on-site composting with the specific mix of material used, MTI developed a customized procedure for estimating emissions for compost.
About Measure to Improve
Founded in 2014, Measure to Improve’s mission is to help produce companies measure, improve, and credibly promote their sustainability efforts. Our clients include produce growers, packers, shippers, and industry associations across the United States. Our staff has a proven track record of helping companies identify and implement strategies to increase efficiency. By supporting clients in setting ambitious, but attainable, sustainability goals, MTI encourages progress that can be validated and marketed. MTI’s projects address a variety of sustainability challenges, including water, energy, greenhouse gas emissions, waste, and social accountability.