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Secaro and DitchCarbon have announced a partnership aimed at simplifying the collection and use of scope 3 emissions data, addressing one of the most persistent barriers to supply chain decarbonisation. The collaboration brings together DitchCarbon’s AI-driven emissions data platform with Secaro’s supply chain engagement and action network.

The partnership is designed to support companies seeking full data coverage for scope 3 reporting, while also enabling deeper engagement with priority suppliers where primary data and emissions reduction actions are most needed. The companies plan to roll out the joint offering across the pharmaceutical, automotive, consumer goods and retail sectors.

Despite delays to mandatory emissions reporting in some jurisdictions, including Europe’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), pressure on businesses to measure and reduce supply chain emissions continues to grow. Scope 3 reporting remains voluntary in the US, but investor, customer and stakeholder expectations are driving continued demand for credible data and demonstrable action.

Data from Secaro, which recently rebranded from Manufacture 2030, suggests that corporate commitment to decarbonisation remains strong. Based on submissions from the 2024 reporting year, 70% of the 2,500 companies surveyed by Secaro have emissions reduction targets in place. The company has also identified a growing focus on supply chain risk, much of it linked to climate impacts and emissions reduction requirements.

One of the main challenges facing companies is the difficulty of collecting reliable scope 3 data at scale. A recent report from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology identified scope 3 emissions reporting as the biggest obstacle to supply chain decarbonisation. The report also found that manual data requests remain the most common method of collection, a process that can take between one and five years to complete.

DitchCarbon’s platform is designed to reduce this burden by automatically collecting and validating primary emissions data across more than 1.4 million organisations worldwide. Using AI, the platform gathers and audits emissions information without the need for supplier surveys, turning what is typically a lengthy process into one that can be completed in hours. All data points are linked to their source, creating an audit trail intended to support reporting and assurance requirements.

Under the partnership, data collected by DitchCarbon can be directly integrated into Secaro’s platform. Secaro then analyses trends within the data to identify where more granular information is required, such as facility-level energy use, site-specific heat consumption or product carbon footprints. This additional data collection focuses on the highest-emitting suppliers, where targeted interventions are most likely to deliver emissions reductions.

Secaro’s role also includes supporting companies and suppliers in identifying and taking decarbonisation actions. Through its network of more than 8,000 suppliers and partners, the platform enables collaboration on initiatives that may be more complex or capital-intensive, including shared renewable energy projects. According to Secaro, more than 45,000 supply chain decarbonisation actions have already been taken through its platform.

Marc Munier, CEO of DitchCarbon, said the partnership addresses a long-standing data challenge for companies reporting on scope 3 emissions. “High quality, comprehensive supply chain data is still very hard to come by,” he said. “With DitchCarbon, customers can not only get 100% of their suppliers’ data for their scope 3 reporting, but this data can be automatically populated into Secaro’s platform. This saves valuable relationship capital with suppliers so they can focus instead on what really matters – reducing emissions.”

Emily Prior, Chief Growth Officer at Secaro, said the collaboration was developed in response to growing demand for reliable data that can be translated into action. “We saw the bottleneck of high-quality scope 3 data building, and we wanted to forge a partnership that enabled customers to collect, exchange and successfully use this data without having to compromise on quality, or lose valuable time to data collection and input,” she said. “Our partnership with DitchCarbon sees both companies play to their strengths to deliver a seamless experience for our customers and enable them to rapidly decarbonise.”

The companies position the partnership as a response to the widening gap between reporting requirements and the practical ability of companies to collect and use emissions data. While regulatory timelines remain uncertain in some regions, the operational challenge of managing large, global supply chains continues to intensify, particularly for sectors with complex supplier bases.

By combining automated data collection with supplier engagement and action planning, Secaro and DitchCarbon aim to reduce the time and resource burden associated with scope 3 reporting. The approach is intended to help companies move beyond compliance-focused data gathering and towards targeted emissions reduction across their supply chains.

The partnership is expected to be made available to existing customers of both companies, with sector-specific rollouts planned in industries where supply chain emissions typically represent a significant share of overall carbon footprints.