Sustainability
Scope 3 emissions
Also written: scope 3
What Scope 3 emissions means
Scope 3 emissions are indirect greenhouse gas emissions produced across a hotel's entire value chain, excluding purchased energy. In hospitality, these encompass upstream activities like food supply chains, laundry services, and furniture procurement, alongside downstream activities such as guest travel to the property and waste processing.
Formula
Scope 3 Emissions = Sum of (Activity Data × Emission Factor)
How it is used
Asset owners and hotel operators track Scope 3 emissions to comply with corporate ESG reporting mandates, satisfy corporate travel buyers requiring carbon data, and reduce supply chain waste. Because Scope 3 often accounts for over 80% of a property's total carbon footprint, procurement managers use these metrics to select local suppliers, demand sustainable packaging, and evaluate contractor practices. Revenue managers also monitor this data to secure high-margin corporate RFP contracts that prioritize low-carbon vendors.
Worked example
A 200-room hotel procures 10,000 kg of beef annually. Using an emission factor of 27 kg CO2e per kg of beef, the upstream supply chain generates 270,000 kg (270 metric tons) of Scope 3 CO2e. Switching half the order to plant-based alternatives with an emission factor of 2 kg CO2e per kg reduces the hotel's Scope 3 footprint by 125 metric tons.
Common mistake
The most common mistake is double-counting emissions across Scope 2 electricity usage and Scope 3 outsourced laundry services by failing to clearly define operational boundaries.