When using the Upstream Scope 3 Estimator, selecting the appropriate category for your products or services is important for accurate emissions reporting. If you're struggling to find the right category, this guide helps you understand how to choose the most suitable category by identifying the main and subcategories based on your product's functionality, materials, and manufacturing process

Understanding the categories

The estimator provides indicative emission factors for broad categories and subcategories of economic activity, based on the EU’s classification of economic activities, known as NACE1. The emission factors are derived from an environmentally extended input-output (EEIO) analysis and provide generalized industry averages relevant to the economic activities listed.

There are 21 goods/services categories in the platform so take some time identifying the closest matching. The good/service categories are based on the NACE Rev. 2 classification system, which you can refer to if you need more information on which category best represents your products.

If you have a more specific emission factor relevant to your upstream Scope 3 emissions, such as a Scope 3 greenhouse gas inventory, product carbon footprints, or life cycle assessments, please contact emissionfactors@manufacture2030.com and we will be happy to review and implement it as an alternative emission factor.

How to Choose the Closest Matching Category

• 1. Understand Your Product’s Characteristics 🔍

  1. Functionality: Identify the primary function and end use of your product.

  Example: A 4K LED Television is designed for high-definition video display and entertainment.

  2. Material and Manufacturing: Consider the materials used (e.g., metal, plastic) and the manufacturing process.

  Example: The television uses electronic components, LED backlighting, and is assembled with electronic processes.

• 2. Identify the Main Category 🔌

  Determine the main category by evaluating your product’s primary function and materials. Choose the broad classification that best represents its purpose and industry.

  Example: The 4K LED Television fits into “Electrical and Optical Equipment” as it involves electronic devices used for visual display.
  

• 3. Review Available Subcategories 📺

  Once you’ve identified the main category, review available subcategories to find the most precise match for your product’s characteristics and functionality.

  Example: For a 4K LED Television, the most fitting subcategory is “Manufacture of Radio, Television, and Communication Equipment” to accurately capture its function.
  

To find out more about how the Emission factor is created, please see this article here: Understanding the Scope 3 estimator

FAQS:

• Consider whether your products would all be categorized within the same good/service category. If they do then you can use this one good/service category for all of your products. If this is not the case, then you can add as many good/service categories as needed to characterize the products you sell to your customers.

• No. Unfortunately, the emission factors are provided by Exiobase, an external database of emission factors. These emission factors are available on a mass and an economic basis, but in some cases only economic emission factors are available.