Custom Emission Factors (EPD/LCA)
Move beyond industry averages. NetNada allows you to upload supplier-specific Life Cycle Assessments and Environmental Product Declarations—replacing generic factors with primary data for the most accurate carbon footprint possible.
How It Works
Industry-average emission factors are a starting point, but your suppliers' actual environmental profiles may differ significantly. Custom factors let you incorporate real supplier data—EPDs, LCAs, and product-specific certifications—into your carbon calculations.
Collect Supplier Documentation
Request Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) or Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) reports from your suppliers. Focus on high-impact vendors identified through Supply Chain Analysis—typically the top 10% by spend.
Extract Emission Intensity Values
Review supplier documentation to extract emission intensity values (e.g., kgCO₂e per kg product, tCO₂e per unit). EPDs typically include Global Warming Potential (GWP) figures ready for use.
Apply Custom Factors via Audit Page
Navigate to the Audit Page and select ledger entries from the supplier. Use bulk selection to apply custom factors across multiple entries efficiently. Enter the supplier-specific emission intensity.
Document and Upload Evidence
Upload the source EPD or LCA document as evidence. Add notes explaining the factor source and methodology. Every custom factor edit is logged with timestamp for audit trail.
Automatic Recalculation
Once applied, NetNada automatically recalculates all affected emissions using the new factor. Dashboards update to reflect improved accuracy, and AI Confidence scores increase for entries with primary data.
Why Use Custom Emission Factors
Higher Accuracy
Generic industry factors have ±20-40% uncertainty. Supplier-specific EPDs and LCAs can reduce this to ±10-15%. For high-impact suppliers, this accuracy improvement is substantial.
Rewarding Sustainable Suppliers
Suppliers investing in lower-carbon products deserve recognition. Custom factors show their actual performance rather than industry average—potentially influencing procurement decisions.
Audit-Ready Evidence
Every custom factor links to uploaded source documentation. External auditors can verify your methodology and the provenance of supplier data directly in the platform.
Data Quality Improvement
Moving from spend-based to activity-based and then to supplier-specific factors represents a data quality journey. Custom factors are the highest tier of Scope 3 data quality.
Stakeholder Credibility
Investors, customers, and rating agencies increasingly expect primary supplier data. Custom factors demonstrate mature supply chain engagement and serious emissions management.
Reduction Tracking
When suppliers improve their EPD values over time, your emissions automatically reflect those improvements. Track supply chain decarbonisation through updated custom factors.
Who Needs Custom Emission Factors
Organisations with Key Strategic Suppliers
If a small number of suppliers represent a large share of your Scope 3, custom factors for those suppliers dramatically improve overall accuracy without engaging hundreds of vendors.
Companies Pursuing Science-Based Targets
SBTi expects continuous improvement in Scope 3 data quality. Custom factors demonstrate supplier engagement and support credible target-setting and progress tracking.
Manufacturers with Specific Material Inputs
Manufacturing companies purchasing specific materials (steel, aluminium, chemicals) can use supplier EPDs to replace generic material factors with actual supplier performance.
Construction and Built Environment
The construction industry increasingly requires EPD-based embodied carbon calculations. Custom factors enable accurate building material accounting.
CDP A-List Aspirants
CDP scores supplier engagement heavily. Demonstrating primary data collection from key suppliers through custom factors supports A-List positioning.
Custom Emission Factor Features
EPD and LCA Integration
Upload Environmental Product Declarations and Life Cycle Assessment reports as evidence. Link documents directly to custom factor applications.
Bulk Factor Application
Select multiple ledger entries from a single supplier and apply custom factors in one action. Efficient for suppliers with many transactions.
Factor Edit Logging
Every custom factor application is logged with timestamp, user, and source documentation. Complete audit trail of data quality improvements.
Automatic Recalculation
When custom factors are applied, all affected emissions recalculate automatically. Dashboards update immediately to reflect improved accuracy.
Confidence Score Updates
AI Confidence scores increase for entries with supplier-specific factors. Higher confidence reflects the improved data quality of primary data.
Source Documentation Links
Every custom factor links to its source EPD or LCA document. Auditors can click through from any calculation to verify the underlying evidence.
Factor Validity Tracking
EPDs typically have 5-year validity periods. Track when supplier documentation needs refresh to maintain accurate, current factors.
Notes and Methodology Documentation
Add notes explaining factor selection, methodology alignment, and any assumptions made. Comprehensive documentation for internal and external review.
Real Results from Real Users
See how companies are transforming their sustainability reporting
"Our top 5 fabric suppliers represent 60% of our material footprint. Getting their EPDs and applying custom factors reduced our estimated Scope 3 uncertainty from ±35% to ±12%. The accuracy improvement was substantial."
- 5 key suppliers with custom EPD factors
- Scope 3 uncertainty reduced from ±35% to ±12%
- Audit-ready documentation for all custom factors
"Paper is our highest-impact input. Our paper suppliers have excellent EPDs. Applying these custom factors showed our emissions were actually 20% lower than industry-average factors suggested—a meaningful difference for our reporting."
- Paper supplier EPDs applied across all purchases
- 20% lower emissions than generic factors indicated
- Climate Active certification supported by accurate data
"For our client reporting, we needed to demonstrate supplier engagement beyond surveys. Collecting and applying EPD data from key technology vendors proved tangible progress on Scope 3 data quality."
- EPDs collected from 8 technology vendors
- Data quality score improved significantly
- Client confidence in emissions reporting increased
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Custom Emission Factors (EPD/LCA)
Related Features
Supply Chain Analysis Dashboard
Identify which suppliers to prioritise for custom factor collection. Focus EPD requests on your highest-impact vendors.
Learn moreAudit Trail & Carbon Ledger
Apply custom factors through the Audit Page. Every factor edit is logged with complete documentation for compliance.
Learn moreSupplier Emissions Tracker
Engage suppliers systematically to request EPDs and LCA data as part of broader supplier engagement programs.
Learn moreScope 3 Emissions Calculator
Custom factors improve Scope 3 accuracy. Replace spend-based estimates with supplier-specific values for credible value chain reporting.
Learn moreElevate Your Data Quality with Primary Supplier Data
Beyond Averages. Real Performance.
Industry averages are a starting point. NetNada's custom emission factors let you incorporate supplier-specific EPDs and LCAs for the most accurate carbon footprint possible.