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Audit-Ready Carbon Reporting for Retailers & Distributors

Track store electricity, refrigeration HFC leakage, distribution center energy, and upstream supply chain emissions across retail operations.

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The Industry Hotspot: Store Energy and Refrigeration Emissions

40-50% from store energy

For retailers, 40-50% of operational emissions come from store electricity (HVAC, lighting, refrigeration). Grocery retailers have additional 20-30% from refrigerant leakage (HFCs with 1,300-3,900x CO2 warming potential). Distribution centers account for 15-20%. However, Scope 3 Category 1 (purchased goods for resale) dwarfs operations at 10-20x. NetNada tracks store-level energy, refrigerant leak rates, and engages suppliers for product carbon data.

SASB Industry Definition

The Multiline and Specialty Retailers & Distributors industry encompasses a variety of retailing categories such as department stores, mass merchants, home products stores and warehouse clubs, as well as a smaller segment of distributors like electronics wholesalers and automotive wholesalers. These entities, except for the distribution segment, commonly manage global supply chains to anticipate consumer demands, keep costs low and keep products stocked in their brick-and-mortar storefronts. This is a highly competitive industry in which each category generally has a small number of important players characterised by generally low margins. The relatively substitutable nature of retail makes entities in this industry especially susceptible to reputational risks.

Industry-Specific Carbon Accounting

No generic solutions. Metrics, data sources, and reporting aligned to Multiline and Specialty Retailers & Distributors operations.

Store-Level Energy Benchmarking

Track kWh/sqm for each store location. Benchmark across regions and store formats. Identify high-consuming outliers for energy audits. Example: Target <200 kWh/sqm/year for department stores, <800 kWh/sqm/year for grocery with refrigeration.

Per-store energy intensity

Refrigerant Leak Detection & Tracking

Monitor refrigerant top-up volumes indicating leak rates. Calculate Scope 1 emissions: R-404A leakage (3,922x CO2) × kg leaked. Track leak repair time and refrigerant replacement with low-GWP alternatives (R-744 CO2, GWP=1).

Refrigerant emissions tracked

Supplier Carbon Data Collection

Automated supplier portal sends carbon data requests to top 500 suppliers (80% of COGS). Track response rates. Import product carbon footprints for private-label goods. Calculate Scope 3 Category 1 using primary data vs spend-based estimates.

Supplier engagement portal

Distribution Center Carbon Allocation

Allocate warehouse electricity, diesel forklifts, and transport emissions to stores served. Example: Distribution center 10,000 tCO2/year serves 200 stores = 50 tCO2 per store allocated. Track improvements from solar, EV forklifts.

DC emissions allocated

SASB CG-MR Metrics Automation

Auto-generate disclosure: Total energy consumed (GJ), % from renewable sources, refrigerant emissions (tCO2e), % suppliers with ESG assessment. Footnotes cite GHG Protocol Scope 3 Category 1 methodology.

SASB CG-MR compliant

Product Features for Multiline and Specialty Retailers & Distributors

Use Carbon Data Uploader to import store energy bills, refrigerant service logs, and distribution center fuel consumption from facility management systems. Learn more →

The Supplier Portal automates carbon data requests to 500+ product suppliers—tracking Scope 3 Category 1 emissions for merchandise sold. Learn more →

Related Solutions

Use our Supply Chain Decarbonisation solution to engage merchandise suppliers and set product carbon reduction targets.

View solution

Multiline and Specialty Retailers & Distributors Case Studies

How entities in this industry use NetNada to solve carbon accounting challenges.

Department Store Chain (500 locations)

Challenge

AASB S2 required Scope 1 & 2 disclosure with store-level energy data. Had utility bills but no system to aggregate 500 stores, normalize per sqm, and identify high consumers.

Solution

Used NetNada to import utility data via API. Calculated kWh/sqm/year for each store. Identified 50 stores >30% above average. Conducted energy audits, installed LED lighting and smart HVAC.

Result

Reduced total store electricity 18% over 2 years. Saved $2.4M annually in energy costs. Achieved NABERS 5-star rating for flagship stores.

Grocery Retailer (200 supermarkets)

Challenge

Refrigerant leakage from aging refrigeration systems generated 25,000 tCO2e/year (40% of Scope 1). Needed leak detection program and low-GWP refrigerant transition plan.

Solution

NetNada tracked refrigerant top-up volumes by store. Flagged 15 stores with >20% annual leak rates. Prioritized refrigeration upgrades to CO2 systems (GWP=1 vs R-404A GWP=3,922).

Result

Reduced refrigerant emissions by 60% over 3 years. Converted 45 stores to CO2 refrigeration. Annual Scope 1 savings: 15,000 tCO2e.

SASB Disclosure Topics for Multiline and Specialty Retailers & Distributors

Material sustainability topics beyond emissions that investors and stakeholders expect disclosed per SASB standards.

Energy Management in Retail

environment

Track electricity consumption per store sqm. Report % of stores with LED lighting, smart HVAC, and energy management systems. Monitor refrigeration efficiency improvements.

Refrigerant Management

environment

Track HFC refrigerant inventory and leak rates. Report % of stores using low-GWP alternatives (CO2, ammonia, HFO). Monitor compliance with Kigali Amendment phase-down schedules.

Product Sourcing & Supply Chain

environment

Report % of private-label products with carbon footprint data. Track supplier ESG scorecards and engagement programs. Monitor deforestation-free sourcing commitments.

Food Waste (Grocery Retailers)

environment

Track food waste volumes by category. Report % donated vs composted vs landfilled. Monitor food waste reduction initiatives and unsold product redistribution.

Labor Practices

social

Report workforce turnover rates, average hourly wages vs living wage benchmarks. Track workplace safety incidents and training hours. Monitor supply chain labor audits.

NetNada tracks all SASB material topics, not just emissions. Our platform supports disclosure across environmental, social, governance, and business model topics relevant to your industry.

Multiline and Specialty Retailers & Distributors FAQs

Common questions about carbon accounting for this industry

How do you calculate Scope 3 Category 1 for retailers selling thousands of SKUs?
Tiered approach: (1) Top 100 suppliers (60% of revenue) = request primary product carbon data. (2) Mid-tier suppliers (30% of revenue) = use industry average factors by product category (apparel, electronics, food). (3) Long tail (<10% revenue) = spend-based method ($ × category factor). Aim for 70%+ coverage with primary or secondary data (PCAF Score 1-3).
What refrigerant alternatives have lower global warming potential?
R-404A (common in supermarkets) GWP = 3,922. Alternatives: CO2 (R-744) GWP = 1 (99.97% reduction), Ammonia (R-717) GWP = 0, HFO-1234yf GWP = 4. CO2 systems becoming standard for new grocery stores globally. Higher upfront capex but 50-80% lower lifecycle emissions and energy efficiency improvements offset cost.
How do you account for food waste emissions from grocery stores?
Food waste emissions depend on disposal method: Landfill = methane generation (2.5-4 kgCO2e/kg food waste), Compost = minimal (0.1-0.3 kgCO2e/kg), Donation/resale = avoided emissions. Report food waste volumes by disposal method in Scope 3 Category 5 (waste from operations). Track % diverted from landfill to donation or composting.
Should retailers report emissions from customer car trips to stores?
Customer travel to/from stores is Scope 3 Category 15 (customer travel) per GHG Protocol. Most retailers don't report due to measurement difficulty. If reported, estimate: avg store catchment radius × customer visits × vehicle mode split × emission factors. E-commerce can claim avoided customer travel but must account for last-mile delivery (often higher per item than consolidated store trip).

Track Store Energy, Refrigeration, and Supplier Emissions for Retail

See how retailers measure store-level carbon, engage suppliers for product data, and generate SASB CG-MR disclosures—meeting investor ESG requirements.

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