Greenhouse Gas Verification

SCS provides independent third-party verification services for the above listed programs to assure that the entity’s inventory is accurate, complete, and meets the verification criteria. SCS conducts its verification based upon a risk-based assessment of inventory data and management systems, and conducts its verification through a targeted sampling of client data and procedures.  Results are summarized in a verification report and verification statement.

In addition SCS provides the following related services:

• Scope 3 Inventory Preparation – Scope 3 emissions are important to consider, often accounting for as much as half of your GHG total inventory. Scope 3 inventory is also required when setting Science Based Targets and reporting Scope 3 can enhance your CDP score.
• Organizational and Product Footprints – If you have never calculated and reported your GHG emissions, SCS can help you get started measuring, calculating, and declaring your organization's direct and indirect GHG emissions.
• GHG Calculators – SCS can create a custom GHG tool for organizations to compile their own GHG inventories year after year.

Note, we cannot measure and verify for the same organization as this is a conflict of interest.

1. Apply for Verification
   Complete an SCS Application Form, including a description of the project and its location. SCS staff will return a proposal to you for signature. To initiate the verification process, return a signed proposal and contract agreement.

2. Submit Inventory Documentation
   Our qualified verification team will review your inventory documentation for completeness, conduct a desk review of all documentation, and issue findings. Applicants can address findings before the site visit is conducted.

3. Site Visit
   SCS conducts site visit(s) to assess project compliance with applicable program standards and issues findings from the visit. This includes an office visit and a field visit.

4. Technical review
   Once the verification has been satisfactorily completed, an independent technical reviewer cross-checks the GHG inventory and audit report.

5. Verification Report
   SCS will make a final verification decision and issue a report. You will need to acknowledge the report and resolve any corrective actions (ie errors in measurement or gaps in procedures) before the deadline for emission data submission.

6. Verification Opinion
   A final verification opinion statement is submitted to the applicable GHG program for registration.

VERIFIED CARBON FOOTPRINT CLIENTS

SCS Global Services has conducted carbon footprint verification (also called "greenhouse gas inventory verification") for manufacturing, non-profit, corporate, and municipal clients, including aviation, waste management, manufacturing, transportation, high tech and professional services.

The following is a representative listing of carbon footprint projects that SCS has verified:

Corporate Carbon Footprint Clients and Projects

• Delta Air Lines
• Fruit of the Loom
• Shaw Industries
• ENVIRON Holdings
• Fall River Landfill
• Juniper Networks
• Longview Fibre Paper and Packaging, Inc.
• Prologis
• Riverside Public Utilities
• The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
• The City of Arcata
• The Nature Conservancy
• Veolia Transportation
• West Linn Paper Company

Featured Projects

Examples of satisfied clients include:

Fruit of the Loom

SCS verified Fruit of the Loom's 2012 carbon footprint against the IS 14064-3 and ISO 14065 standards as well as the World Resources Institute/World Business Council for Sustainable Development Greenhouse Gas Protocol. The verified footprint will serve as the baseline for bold company-wide greenhouse gas reduction goals. In order to achieve its 2015 goal of reducing electricity-related emissions by 40%, Fruit of the Loom is investing in large-scale biomass and hydroelectric energy sources to power its Honduras operations.

Delta Airlines

In 2012, SCS verified the carbon footprint of Delta Air Lines for the years 2005-2010, making it the world's first legacy airline to achieve a successful, independent third party verification of its greenhouse gas emissions inventory. SCS confirmed Delta's conformance with The Climate Registry's General Reporting Protocol, a trusted global methodology that also provides Delta with comprehensive online emissions calculation and reporting tools. The measurement and third-party verification process support Delta's goals for greater transparency to its customers.

Juniper Networks

Juniper Networks partnered with SCS to verify the 2011 scope I and scope II greenhouse gas emissions of one of its major California facilities. The verification, conforming to the ISO 14064-3 and ISO 14065 standards and the World Resource Institute/World Business Council for Sustainable Development Greenhouse Gas Protocol, prepares Juniper to submit its footprint to the Carbon Disclosure Project. Juniper, a high-tech manufacturing company, was voted one of the World's Most Ethical Companies in 2013 by Ethisphere magazine.

Longview Fibre Paper and Packaging, Inc.

SCS conducted an assessment of Longview Fibre's greenhouse gas emissions for all facilities located in Washington State. The verification was conducted under the auspices of The Climate Registry, a leading greenhouse gas reporting program for North America. SCS assessed Longview's main pulp and paper mill along with its mobile fleet, and verified its GHG inventory as being accurate and complete.

The City of Arcata

SCS verified the GHG footprint for the City of Arcata, California, helping the city meet its sustainability goals. Arcata has a population of 17,294 and is home to Humboldt State University. The SCS audit included an assessment of records at City Hall and site visits to the wastewater facility, the corporation yard, and other city facilities. The city had its emissions inventory verified and was recognized as a Climate Action Leader by the California Climate Action Registry (CCAR).

The Nature Conservancy

SCS verified the GHG footprint for The Nature Conservancy (TNC) of California for all operations statewide, including 20 offices and projects. Sites audited by SCS include a large farming operation in the Sacramento River Delta, a conservation project on Santa Cruz Island, the Sacramento River Mega-site project, and various TNC offices. TNC California achieved Climate Action Leader status from the California Climate Action Registry (CCAR). TNC works around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people.

Owens Corning

Fortune 500 entity Owens Corning started verifying their GHG inventory with SCS in 2012 and has increased the scope of their verification each year. They have earned CDP A-List status, limited to the top 25 performing companies, for both water and climate since 2016. In 2018, SCS not only verified Owens Corning’s GHG inventories, but extended assurance to their entire sustainability report based on the AA 1000 standard. Their efforts have earned them a No. 1 ranking on Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s 100 Best Corporate Citizens list for 2019.

Levis

A leader in the global apparel sector, Levi Strauss & Co. has been verifying their GHG inventory with SCS since 2012 and reports their inventory to CDP. Their annual verified inventories are used to support their progress toward their Science Based Target Initiatives (SBTI) approved GHG target of a 90% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2025.

Fruit of the Loom 

SCS has verified Fruit of the Loom's carbon footprint against the ISO 14064-3 and ISO 14065 standards as well as the World Resources Institute/World Business Council for Sustainable Development Greenhouse Gas Protocol since 2012. Their initial verified footprint serves as the baseline for bold company-wide greenhouse gas reduction goals.