Turning Scope 3 Emissions into Business Value: Why Change Management and C-Suite Engagement Are Critical
Companies have made meaningful progress in putting their Scope 3, or value chain, emissions into focus. Pressure from stakeholders, evolving regulations like the EU CSRD and CSDDD, and the rise of digital and AI-enabled solutions have all pushed businesses to measure indirect emissions more comprehensively. But as reporting matures, the next challenge is arguably even more complex: using that data to drive real emissions reductions and business transformation.
In this first article, we explore the roadblocks companies face in tackling Scope 3 emissions—and why a change management mindset, strategic communications, and leadership buy-in are essential to success.
Why Change Management and C-Suite Engagement Are Critical
Companies have made meaningful progress in putting their Scope 3, or value chain, emissions into focus. Pressure from stakeholders, evolving regulations like the EU CSRD and CSDDD, and the rise of digital and AI-enabled solutions have all pushed businesses to measure indirect emissions more comprehensively. But as reporting matures, the next challenge is arguably even more complex: using that data to drive real emissions reductions and business transformation.
In this first article, we explore the roadblocks companies face in tackling Scope 3 emissions—and why a change management mindset, strategic communications, and leadership buy-in are essential to success.
The Challenge: Complex, Dispersed, and Often Invisible
Unlike Scopes 1 and 2, which relate to a company’s own operations and purchased energy, Scope 3 emissions occur upstream and downstream—embedded in everything from raw materials and transportation to product use and disposal. For many companies, Scope 3 emissions make up more than 70% of their carbon footprint.
Managing them is daunting. Data is often poor or inconsistent. Supply chains are global and fragmented. Emissions factors are uncertain. And the 15 categories defined by the GHG Protocol are diverse, requiring inputs from procurement, finance, operations, HR, and sustainability teams alike.
All of this makes Scope 3 both a technical and organizational challenge. It’s not just about calculating emissions—it’s about transforming how the business operates, collaborates, and invests.
Why Change Management Is Essential
Scope 3 is fundamentally a cross-functional issue. It requires new data flows, cross-departmental ownership, and changes in how decisions are made—from supplier selection to product design. In this context, applying best practices from change management can determine whether efforts stall or succeed.
Here is how:
Establish a clear vision with leadership sponsorship
Scope 3 decarbonization needs a strategic narrative, anchored in the company’s broader sustainability goals. Senior leaders must champion it—not just from sustainability teams, but from the C-suite. CEOs, CFOs, and Chief Procurement Officers must communicate why Scope 3 matters for competitiveness, cost, customer loyalty, and capital access.
Create multi-functional teams and shared KPIs
Scope 3 categories touch every part of the business. Effective programs bring together finance, procurement, supply chain, sustainability, marketing, and IT. Success depends on creating shared objectives and KPIs, such as supplier alignment with science-based targets or value chain GHG savings per product unit.
Communicate frequently and transparently
Uncertainty is a given in early Scope 3 journeys. Companies should lean into transparency—communicating data limitations, trade-offs, and progress with clarity. Good corporate communications turn Scope 3 from a reporting burden into a brand asset. Poor communication creates risk of greenwashing accusations.
Empower middle management and suppliers
Middle managers and supplier contacts are often the ones turning strategy into action. Invest in their capabilities. Offer training, platforms, and incentives to gather data, adopt climate tech, and pilot lower-carbon solutions. Use digital tools to visualize emissions hotspots and make Scope 3 actions tangible and practical. Group your suppliers into personas based on the volume of business, their size, geography, and level of maturity. And then, adjust your requirements and level of support you provide based on these personas.
Celebrate quick wins and link to value
Scope 3 work can feel intangible. Celebrate milestones—like onboarding suppliers to new platforms or achieving emissions visibility across a product line. Tie these wins to business outcomes: reduced logistics costs, new customer contracts, or improved investor confidence.
C-Suite: From Oversight to Ownership
To fully realize the business value of Scope 3 reductions, C-suite leaders must do more than endorse initiatives—they must own them.
Executives play a critical role in:
Governance and decision-making: Setting the ambition of climate targets, integrating climate risk into capital planning and enterprise risk management systems, and approving decarbonization investments.
Performance management: Linking executive compensation to Scope 3 KPIs sends a powerful internal signal.
Investor and board engagement: As Scope 3 emissions increasingly influence IPO valuations, loan approvals, and M&A terms, CFOs and IR teams must be ready to communicate how Scope 3 is being managed as both a risk and an opportunity.
Unlocking Business Intelligence from Scope 3
Scope 3 data is not just for compliance—it’s a strategic asset. With a robust baseline and hotspot analysis, companies can:
Design differentiated low-carbon products and services.
Improve customer retention through emissions transparency.
Boost efficiency by optimizing transportation, manufacturing, retail environments, packaging, and production.
Identify investment opportunities in low-carbon innovation (e.g., hydrogen, circular packaging).
Reduce exposure to carbon pricing and increase access to green financing.
Companies that apply a value creation lens—backed by strong data governance, effective change management, and sustained leadership—are more likely to translate Scope 3 reporting into commercial advantage.
Moving Forward
Scope 3 emissions are no longer someone else’s problem—they are a core part of business transformation. As corporate expectations rise, the companies that succeed will be those that combine credible disclosure with organizational agility, thoughtful communications, and bold leadership.
Need Support on Your Decarbonization Journey? Reach out to us at hello@theupliftagency.com.
The Uplift Agency
Uplift helps organizations become more sustainable, more responsible--and more successful. We combine deep technical expertise with strategic communications to bridge the gap between sustainable transformation and smart storytelling.
We work across industries to develop and implement forward-looking strategies and reporting that align environmental and impact goals with business performance, unlocking opportunities for innovation, resilience, and long-term growth.
What truly sets us apart? Our team. With 90% of us having worked in-house at leading corporations or nonprofits, we understand the real-world challenges and opportunities our clients face.
