Scope 3 Emissions Assessment Accelerates Global Data Networking Company’s Sustainability Strategy
Executive summary
SSC conducted a Scope 3 emissions screening utilizing Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to help a global data networking company to better understand the environmental impact of its expanding cable infrastructure network. This study included:
The construction of both underground and marine cables
The purchased goods and equipment required in the installation
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Key Findings
Installation Emissions are Highly Location-Dependent:
Driven by factors such as soil conditions, project timelines, and existing infrastructure, all of which impact fuel consumption and efficiency.Marine Installations Exhibit Significantly Different Emissions Profiles:
In comparison to underground installations, these differences highlight the need for customized decarbonization strategies.Product Carbon Footprint of Purchased Goods:
Scope 3 Category 1: Purchased goods was found to be a major contributor to overall emissions. This included both the infrastructure and the data centers.Energy Use During Installation is a Significant Emissions Source:
This emphasizes the importance of proper planning to understand site conditions and the impacts of traffic disruption for road crossings.Identifying and Addressing Emissions Hotspots is Critical:
This is essential for advancing decarbonization efforts within the data networking infrastructure value chain.
Results
By calculating the emissions and diving into the results, this organization was able to set decarbonization goals for specific Scope 3 categories within the business based on the hotspots that were identified as material to this initiative.
Recognizing the broader environmental implications, SSC’s analysis also extended to include the life cycle impacts of products used in the company's data centers, providing a more comprehensive view of the company’s total carbon footprint.
“As technology use grows, fast and consistent data transmission is critical to the success of the industry. Understanding the scale of the emissions and infrastructure growth impacts is key to effective decarbonization strategies.”
Cara Vought, Senior Technical Consultant
Sustainable Solutions Corporation
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As climate change continues to pose significant risks to business operations, many technology companies are recognizing the need to take action, particularly in addressing carbon emissions. Ambitious climate goals are becoming the norm, with organizations extending their commitments beyond direct operations to include their value chain and indirect portions of their business influence.
This leading tech company set aggressive targets to reduce their Scope 3 emissions. Scope 3 emissions are generated indirectly through its suppliers, partners, and product use.
To achieve this, the company needed to estimate the efforts required to install and maintain their ever-expanding infrastructure. By quantifying these impacts, they were able to pinpoint carbon hotspots and engage in collaborative ideation to develop strategic decarbonization pathways.
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This project leveraged globally recognized frameworks: the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol and the ISO 14040 and 14044 Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards.
These methodologies were instrumental in establishing clear project boundaries, aligning on objectives, and ensuring a consistent, transparent approach to defining what was included within the scope of the assessment.
By grounding the work in these standards, the company ensured that its emissions insights would be both actionable and aligned with industry best practices.
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Scope 3 emissions are indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that come from a companies value chain. These emissions come from 15 different categories:
Upstream Categories (1–8):
Category 1: Purchased goods and services
Category 2: Capital goods
Category 3: Fuel- and energy-related activities (not included in Scope 1 or 2)
Category 4: Upstream transportation and distribution
Category 5: Waste generated in operations
Category 6: Business travel
Category 7: Employee commuting
Category 8: Upstream leased assets
Downstream Categories (9–15):
Category 9: Downstream transportation and distribution
Category 10: Processing of sold products
Category 11: Use of sold products
Category 12: End-of-life treatment of sold products
Category 13: Downstream leased assets
Category 14: Franchises
Category 15: Investments
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Life cycle assessment (LCA) is an analytical tool used to comprehensively quantify and interpret the environmental impacts of the entire life cycle of a product or operation. An LCA takes a deeper look at each stage of a product's life, from raw material extraction to end-of-life management.
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A Product Carbon Footprint measures the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with a product throughout its entire life cycle—from raw material extraction and manufacturing to distribution, use, and end-of-life disposal.
A PCF is a focused outcome of a broader Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). While an LCA evaluates multiple environmental impacts (like water use, air pollution, and resource depletion), a PCF zeroes in specifically on climate impact, expressed in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂e). Together, they offer a powerful view into a product’s sustainability profile.
