What is Scope 3 Category 7: Employee Commuting?

Scope 3, Category 7 includes emissions from employees commuting to and from work. It does not include paid-for business travel (that's Category 6).

It also includes emissions from employees working from home - the electricity, gas and other energy sources used to power employees' home offices. Previously this was overlooked but since Covid has become a much more commonly measured source of emissions.

Why Should Companies Care About Employee Commuting Emissions?

Employee commuting can represent a significant portion of a company’s carbon footprint. Addressing these emissions:

• Helps you to complete a full carbon footprint and understand your hotspots.
• Provides an opportunity to engage your employees on carbon and what you're doing to reduce emissions.

How Can Companies Calculate Commuting Emissions?

Companies can estimate commuting emissions using several methods:

• Distance-Based Method: This involves collecting data from employees on commuting patterns, such as the distance traveled and transportation mode, and applying corresponding emission factors.
• Average-Data Method: This method relies on national or regional commuting data averages to estimate emissions.

Employing tools like employee surveys or leveraging anonymized data from commute tracking apps can make the process more precise and efficient.

We've written a full guide to commuting emission calculations.

For homeworking, it's similar:

• Energy-Based Method. You can build a picture of employees' energy usage by asking about their work set up (devices used, lighting, heating and so on) and associated wattage.
• Average-Data Method. Like commuting, yu can rely on averages for emissions when homeworking. DEFRA publishes an "emissions per hour WFH" factor, taken from an EcoAct paper.

The first method is trickier because it requests more info from employees, but it's much more accurate than relying on averages.

We've also written a full guide to homeworking emission calculations.

What Strategies Can Reduce Commuting Emissions?

There are several strategies that organizations can adopt to lower commuting emissions:

• Promote public transportation. Provide incentives such as subsidies or discounted transit passes to encourage employees to use buses, trains, or other public systems.
• Support car-pooling and ride-sharing. Introduce programs or apps that help employees coordinate carpooling efforts. Fewer vehicles on the road mean fewer emissions.
• Encourage active commuting. Promote walking and cycling by offering bike racks, lockers, or showers at the workplace. Creating a safe environment for active commuters can lead to healthier employees and lower emissions.
• Implement flexibile work practices. Remote work or flexible schedules reduce the need for daily commuting and spread out rush-hour traffic, cutting emissions and improving air quality.
• Invest in Infrastructure. Install electric vehicle (EV) charging stations or provide financial incentives for employees to switch to EVs or hybrid vehicles.