Part III: Leveraging supplier-specific PCF data for enhanced Scope 3 reporting
Sphera’s Scope 3 Summer Webinar Series guides sustainability professionals through a practical roadmap for advancing their Scope 3 strategies. From preparing a first Scope 3 inventory to iteratively improving accuracy over time, each session builds on the last to help organizations progress toward decarbonization.
The four-part series began with “Navigating the Glide Path to Scope 3 Spend-Based Reporting,” which focused on strategies for moving beyond spend-based reporting.
Part two, “Utilizing mass-based data to identify hotspots and opportunities,” explored the use of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data to provide a more precise view of Scope 3 emissions.
In part three, we dive into supplier engagement, focusing on collecting primary data from suppliers and leveraging that information for Scope 3 quantification.
Most companies fall somewhere in between these approaches, depending on their stage in the Scope 3 journey and the type of data they can access. Your strategy will evolve over time as data availability, quality and reporting requirements change.
The shift toward supplier-specific data
According to Sphera’s most recent Scope 3 report, companies are steadily moving away from relying solely on spend-based data. Instead, they are incorporating more precise sources, such as LCA data and supplier-specific product carbon footprint (PCF) data.
In 2025, 65% of companies reported using two or more data types, compared to just 48% in 2024. This shift reflects growing expectations for data quality and a desire to move beyond compliance-driven reporting toward granular decarbonization strategies.
Spend-based data can be a good starting point, but it has its limitations. If spend is the only metric used, the only way to decarbonize is to spend less, which is an unrealistic option for most organizations.
When we ask customers about the biggest barriers to Scope 3 reporting, the top challenges are consistently around supplier data availability and quality. Surprisingly, the budget does not rank among the top five concerns, indicating that while funding is available, strategies for effectively using supplier data are still maturing.
Supplier-specific PCF data is often considered the “Holy Grail” of Scope 3 reporting. However, many companies run into roadblocks by trying to scale up too quickly, especially when dealing with global supply bases that are inconsistent or fragmented.
Key data sources for Scope 3 reporting
When building a Scope 3 strategy, it’s important to balance data precision and availability. There are three primary data sources to consider:
- Economic input-output (EIO) data: Easy to access but highly aggregated. While useful for initial mapping, it has limited application for decarbonization efforts.
- LCA data or industry-average data: Offers much greater precision than spend data, with tens of thousands of high-quality emissions factors tied to materials, processes and locations.
- Supplier-specific PCF data: The most precise and valuable data source, especially when applied strategically to high-impact suppliers.
Each data type has its place in a hybrid strategy. The goal is to leverage the right data at the right time, using spend data to fill gaps where higher-quality information isn’t available.
Building a supplier segmentation strategy
Supplier-specific PCFs are most effective when collected from high-impact, highly strategic suppliers that are critical to your business and have a significant emissions profile within their operations. These PCFs can also drive supplier engagement, especially when suppliers can directly influence emissions reductions in the value chain.
However, not every supplier is a good candidate for PCF requests. Chasing data from less relevant suppliers wastes time and resources. A segmentation strategy helps you prioritize suppliers based on the availability, materiality and actionability of their data.
Here’s how to get started:
- Assess strategic importance: Determine which suppliers are most essential to your business. Consider factors such as location, total spend, relationship length and future purchase commitments. For example, suppliers with no guarantee of future business may be less motivated to invest in your sustainability initiatives.
- Evaluate emissions potential: Look at the supplier’s manufacturing processes. Do they rely heavily on fossil fuels, or are they transitioning to renewable energy? Suppliers with higher emissions profiles may require more detailed, granular data.
- Classify lower-priority suppliers: Transitional or low-emissions suppliers may be better served with LCA or industry-average data rather than supplier-specific PCFs. Tactical suppliers with high turnover but low emissions should remain a lower focus.
By combining these factors, you can create a prioritization matrix that identifies where to focus your efforts and which data sources to request.
When and what to do – Act now
Do not get caught with poor data. Implement Sphera’s MDM-for-MRO today!
Act now to begin the journey to MI assurance. Get your data clean and keep it clean with Sphera. Engage in our end-to-end collaborative process:
- Get our free Material Master Assessment (MMA).
- Work cross-matrixed leaders to uncover ROI potential and engage in data governance strategy.
- Embark on journey to get your data clean; transform and master it using Sphera’s Standard Modifier Dictionary (SMD).
- Change culture for safety and data integrity; communicate change throughout your organization.
- Implement MDM MRO Governance to keep your data clean.
Sphera’s Data Quality Optimization and Cleansing Services, coupled with Sphera’s Standard Modifier Dictionary, will help you get the data right. Our Professional Consulting team will quickly implement the platform and integrate with any modern ERP and business system(s) via our open API / connectors. Sphera’s MDM manages various data types: spare parts, consumables, supplies, tools, PPE, services, and bills-of-materials (BOMs), raw materials, and products.
According to the Sphera report, 85% of respondents enforce processes where every employee can report, fostering greater workplace safety accountability and engagement at all levels and emphasizing a more inclusive approach to identifying risks. Remote, contract and onsite employees should all be encouraged by senior leadership to speak up if they notice safety gaps.
How Sphera can help
Sphera’s MDM-for-MRO platform lineage, pedigree, and proven record of accomplishment date back to 1978.
Read more
Complimenting the platform, is our time-tested, proven “White Glove” MRO data quality sustainment process, overseen by our experienced MRO experts, engineers and data specialists, many having 20+ years in industry.
Read more
We have worked with hundreds of customers in asset-intensive industries worldwide for decades, helping drive down costs and risks in the supply chain, inventory management, maintenance, process safety, and sustainability.
Moving toward a mixed-data strategy
A mature Scope 3 reporting strategy will use a mix of data sources. Spend data will always play a role in filling gaps, but your focus should shift toward higher-quality data where it drives the most value.
Sphera can help you develop a defensible, documented strategy that maximizes business value while ensuring your resources are used effectively and efficiently.
