RESET Carbon: Work with Top Suppliers to Cut Scope 3

Scope 3 emissions sit at the heart of every supply chain sustainability challenge. These emissions account for the bulk of total emissions, yet they remain the hardest to control.

For industries dependent on complex supplier networks and global transport systems, the task becomes even more pressing.

RESET Carbon, a Hong Kong-based company under LRQA, outlines a route to change through targeted procurement and supplier engagement.

RESET Carbon focuses on building decarbonisation strategies that guide businesses through energy transitions and long-term emissions cuts. The company is vocal about the scale of the problem, pointing out that more than 80% of a typical company's carbon footprint comes from Scope 3 sources.

According to Liam Salter, CEO of RESET Carbon, these emissions represent both a challenge and an opportunity for real progress: “Supply chains are becoming increasingly exposed to carbon pricing via the incoming EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism or exporter country emissions trading or carbon taxes.

“If businesses want to avoid long-term carbon cost risks, they need to act now. Supply chain emissions take time to reduce. We’re talking three years or more to see meaningful results.”

Procurement must lead the emissions strategy

For companies that rely on global transport and freight networks, addressing Scope 3 demands a rethink of supplier strategy.

RESET Carbon's analysis stresses that the fastest gains come when procurement teams target the right vendors and embed sustainability within sourcing decisions.

The organisation advises starting with a select group of high-impact suppliers, where reductions are not only achievable but can also be sustained and scaled. One example comes from the apparel industry in Vietnam, where suppliers achieved early emissions cuts of 15-30% by collaborating on efficiency measures. Further reductions of 40-60% are possible when companies and suppliers jointly invest in energy switching or low-carbon fuels.

This approach is not limited to clothing or retail. In transport and logistics, where emissions are distributed across fleets, carriers and routes, establishing common measurement protocols and using digital tracking tools will help procurement teams assess carbon performance more accurately. This transparency lays the foundation for informed and effective supplier decisions.

Liam explains: “Strategic suppliers represent a major lever for net zero progress. Even if supply networks shift in response to economic or regulatory factors, established high-volume vendors are often best placed to meet performance expectations.

"Their ability to scale low carbon solutions, implement clean technologies and collaborate on emissions planning makes them critical to any serious net-zero supply chain strategy.”

Three steps to reduce supply chain emissions

RESET Carbon highlights three strategic areas where supply chain and procurement professionals can take action.

The first is to turn data into delivery plans. Many businesses already gather carbon data at supplier facility level, but often struggle to convert this into action. By integrating emissions targets into procurement choices, carbon performance becomes central to commercial strategy.

Liam notes: “There’s often a misconception that carbon reduction means high cost. In reality, many reductions can be delivered through measures like efficiency and onsite renewables, with strong returns on investment.”

The second area focuses on prioritising strategic suppliers. Working with high-volume transport partners allows companies to roll out low-carbon initiatives at scale. These suppliers can often adapt faster, trial clean fuel alternatives and standardise emissions reporting, helping their partners meet climate commitments faster.

Thirdly, RESET Carbon calls for cross-industry collaboration. By coordinating supplier reporting methods and sharing benchmark data, businesses can reduce the pressure on suppliers who report to multiple buyers. Joint investment in low-carbon supplier pools also allows multiple organisations to scale technologies that would be unviable in isolation.

This kind of collaboration has added value in logistics, where several companies may use the same carriers or warehouse providers. Sharing supplier carbon data, particularly through standardised tools, allows buyers to compare performance across sites or service lines.

The result is greater accountability and better-informed procurement.

Scope 3 emissions require long-term strategies and the key lies in early action. RESET Carbon says that businesses which start building supplier partnerships now will be better positioned to manage regulation, absorb carbon costs and meet their emissions targets.

By focusing on procurement strategy, supplier collaboration and data transparency, companies can reshape their supply chains around sustainable performance rather than short-term cost alone.

The result is not just emissions reduction but a more resilient supply chain in a changing regulatory and environmental landscape.