What is the Greenhouse Gas Protocol?

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHGP) is the global standard framework for measuring and managing greenhouse gases from companies, public or private, and their supply chains. It is the most important carbon accounting standard in the world and is used by more than 9 out of 10 Fortune 500 companies.

The GHGP, through its robust framework and exhaustive categorisation, allows companies to allocate their emissions into 3 divisions, called Scopes, mapping all direct emissions into Scope 1 and the indirect emissions to Scope 2 and Scope 3.

The GHGP provides the integral framework for achieving Net-Zero.

With this GHGP Guide, we want to help you better understand what the GHGP entails and how it helps to calculate the net greenhouse gas emissions your organisation is responsible for including not just your own direct impact - but that of your suppliers and your customers too.

In this guide, you will learn about the GHGP, choosing the right organisational and operational boundary and the Scopes 1, 2, 3 and 0 which covers impacts you have that the GHGP misses, for example, the impact of your staff’s lifestyle and tax payments. In addition, this guide will show you how Consequence calculates each of the scopes and how the Consequence platform can help you achieve Net-Zero.

The GHGP guide is part of a series of explainers on reporting standards. In subsequent editions, we will be focusing on standards such as the Science-based Target Initiative (SBTi) which provides a framework that organisations can use to ensure their reductions are meaningful and comparable with industry peers, and Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).