The importance of understanding and managing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has skyrocketed as businesses look to play their part in tackling climate change. Beyond the direct emissions from owned or controlled sources (scope 1) and the indirect emissions from the generation of purchased energy (scope 2), scope 3 emissions from a company’s value chain are increasingly gaining attention. With increased scrutiny from stakeholders, there's a growing demand for specialized software to report and manage these traditionally difficult-to-track emissions. In this post, we’ll delve into the best scope 3 software options available today.
What is Scope 3 software?
Scope 3 software enables businesses to track and report value chain emissions - the indirect GHG emissions associated with a company's activities but occurring outside its direct operations.
Scope 3 accounting software is a digital solution designed to help businesses measure, track, and report emissions resulting from their entire value chain. These emissions can range from business travel and employee commuting to waste disposal and the production of purchased goods. Given the complex nature of scope 3 emissions, software that simplifies and streamlines the measurement process is invaluable.
What to look for in Scope 3 software
When evaluating Scope 3 software, there are several key features to prioritize to ensure your company can manage its emissions data effectively and efficiently:
- Comprehensive Coverage: The software should provide different calculation methods for all 15 scope 3 categories to enable companies to evolve their accounting as data collection matures.
- Supplier Engagement Tools: Seamless collaboration with suppliers is vital. The software should provide tools to facilitate data sharing, feedback, and performance tracking with all suppliers.
- Intuitive User Interface: Given the complexities of scope 3 emissions, a user-friendly and intuitive interface is crucial.
- Real-time Analytics: As with any data-driven endeavor, timely insights can be game-changing. Real-time analytics help businesses adapt and adjust strategies promptly.
- Integration Capabilities: The ability to interface with other business systems is essential to collate and analyze data from various sources effectively.
- Scalability: The software should grow with the business, handling increased data loads and more complex reporting as the organization expands its sustainability initiatives.
Questions to ask before choosing Scope 3 software
Scope 3 is where most decarbonization programs succeed or fail. For organizations moving beyond high-level estimates toward defensible, decision-useful data, these questions help assess whether a Scope 3 solution can support both near-term reporting and long-term improvement.
1. Does the platform support multiple calculation methods for each Scope 3 category?
Scope 3 maturity evolves over time. Ask whether the software supports a range of calculation approaches—spend-based, average data, hybrid, and supplier-specific—so you can improve data quality without re-baselining your entire inventory.
2. Can we trace Scope 3 emissions from totals down to suppliers, products, and activities?
Actionable Scope 3 management requires traceability. Ask whether emissions can be analyzed at a granular level (e.g., by supplier, material, logistics lane, or product) to identify hotspots and prioritize engagement.
3. How does the platform handle data quality improvement over time?
Early Scope 3 inventories often rely on estimates. Ask how the software helps teams track data quality, identify where primary data will have the biggest impact, and transition away from broad averages in a structured way.
4. What approach does the platform take to supplier-specific data?
Supplier data is critical, but complex. Ask whether the platform supports allocating supplier-reported emissions, applying supplier-specific emission factors, and validating what supplier data actually represents before using it in calculations.
5. How does the software enable supplier engagement at scale?
Beyond analytics, Scope 3 software should support engagement. Ask whether the platform provides tools to request data from suppliers, lower the barrier to participation, and maintain consistency in methodologies across your value chain.
6. Are emission factors transparent, auditable, and future-proof?
Emission factors underpin Scope 3 calculations. Ask whether factors are publicly available and widely accepted, how updates are handled, and whether historical data remains intact as factor sets evolve.
7. Can Scope 3 data support assurance and regulatory disclosure?
As Scope 3 becomes subject to greater scrutiny, ask how the platform supports audit trails, documentation, and consistency, especially for disclosures tied to CSRD, CDP, ISSB, or other regulatory frameworks.
8. How does Scope 3 data integrate with broader carbon accounting and planning?
Scope 3 should not live in a silo. Ask whether Scope 3 data integrates seamlessly with Scope 1 and 2, supports enterprise-wide analysis, and can feed into decarbonization planning and transition strategies.
The 10 best Scope 3 software of 2026
*Based on Persefoni’s assessment of the carbon reporting technology landscape today
When evaluating Scope 3 software, it’s important to distinguish between tools designed primarily for high-level reporting and those built to support long-term data quality improvement, supplier engagement, and audit-ready carbon accounting. The platforms below vary in their approach—some prioritize speed and simplicity, while others focus on rigor, transparency, and scalability for enterprise use.
1. Persefoni
Persefoni is purpose-built for enterprise-grade Scope 3 accounting, with an emphasis on data transparency, calculation flexibility, and long-term auditability. The platform supports multiple calculation methodologies across all Scope 3 categories, enabling organizations to start with estimates and progressively improve data quality without reworking historical inventories.
Persefoni also stands out in supplier engagement. Its platform enables companies to prioritize suppliers based on emissions impact, incorporate supplier-reported data through hybrid calculations, and engage suppliers at scale using consistent, GHG Protocol–aligned methodologies. This approach allows Scope 3 data to support not only reporting, but procurement strategy, assurance, and decarbonization planning.
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2. Sweep
Sweep blends aesthetics with efficiency, offering companies a powerful suite to monitor and curtail their carbon footprints. The user-centric interface is backed by real-time data collation tools. Sweep’s prowess lies in its advanced supplier engagement capabilities, providing businesses the tools to collaborate seamlessly, share data effectively, and ensure scope 3 emissions are captured in their entirety.
3. Sphera
Sphera’s comprehensive solution supports businesses in their sustainability visions. Its carbon accounting tool focuses on thorough reporting of scope 3 emissions. Additionally, its supplier engagement features facilitate robust collaborations, facilitating comprehensive data acquisition from various entities in the value chain.
4. Envizi
More than just sustainability software, Envizi offers a holistic approach to carbon accounting, with a focus on scope 3 emissions. Its integrative design means that businesses can readily fold in other critical data streams. On the supplier front, Envizi's tools ensure smooth collaboration, allowing for the aggregation of diverse datasets that feed into a comprehensive scope 3 emissions report.
5. Greenly
With its automated solutions, Greenly aims to revolutionize carbon accounting for the modern business. Its algorithms autonomously handle vast scope 3 emission data sets sourced from multiple points. In terms of supplier engagement, Greenly's platform streamlines communication and data collection, ensuring businesses have a comprehensive grasp of their emissions from start to finish.
6. Net Zero Cloud by Salesforce
Built on the formidable Salesforce foundation, Net Zero Cloud is crafted for scalability. The platform boasts nuanced reporting tools and sophisticated analytics to deep dive into scope 3 emissions. Its supplier engagement framework enables businesses to create a cohesive network of data exchange and collaboration, critical for holistic carbon accounting.
7. SustainLife
Driven by a sustainability-first ethos, SustainLife introduces a myriad of tools for environmentally conscious small and medium-sized businesses. Its scope 3 reporting suite is robust and user-friendly. The platform also emphasizes supplier engagement, offering functionalities that simplify collaboration, promote transparent communication, and ensure that data from every corner of the value chain is included.
8. Sinai Technologies
Sinai stands out with its thorough approach to carbon management. The platform is tailored to aid businesses in navigating the nuances of their scope 3 emissions. Moreover, Sinai underscores the importance of supplier integration, offering clear avenues for collaboration and data-sharing, ensuring all scope 3 emission facets are captured and reported.
9. IBM Environmental Intelligence Suite
Leveraging IBM's legacy of technological innovation, the Environmental Intelligence Suite integrates advanced analytical tools to help businesses map their environmental journey. Its scope 3 modules are designed for precision and user-friendliness. IBM also prioritizes supplier engagement, ensuring businesses can collaborate effortlessly with their supply chain partners to accumulate, verify, and report all relevant emissions data.
10. Diligent
A forerunner in ESG principles, Diligent’s ecosystem facilitates businesses in managing their sustainability targets holistically. The platform’s scope 3 modules stand out in both depth and user experience. The suite also emphasizes seamless supplier collaborations, providing tools that enable easy data exchange and aggregation, ensuring a complete picture of a business's scope 3 emissions.
FAQs: What buyers need to know before purchasing Scope 3 software
How long does it typically take to implement Scope 3 software?
Implementation timelines vary based on organizational complexity and data availability. Most enterprises begin with estimated data and progressively increase granularity over multiple reporting cycles. The right platform should support this phased approach without requiring rework as data improves.
Will we need to re-baseline as we improve Scope 3 data quality?
Ask vendors this directly. Best-in-class platforms are designed to accommodate evolving calculation methods and improved data inputs without forcing re-baselining, preserving historical consistency and comparability.
How should we think about supplier engagement timing?
Many organizations first use Scope 3 data to prioritize which suppliers matter most before engaging them directly. Effective Scope 3 software supports this progression, helping teams focus engagement efforts where they will have the greatest impact.
Can Scope 3 software support both reporting and reduction planning?
Scope 3 data is foundational for decarbonization planning, but only if it is sufficiently granular and traceable. Look for platforms that allow Scope 3 insights to inform supplier strategies, material choices, and downstream decarbonization initiatives.
How do we ensure Scope 3 data is credible enough for executives and regulators?
Credibility comes from transparency, controls, and documentation. Scope 3 software should provide clear visibility into methodologies, assumptions, and data sources, along with audit-ready records of how emissions were calculated.
What internal teams typically need access to Scope 3 software?
While sustainability teams often lead, Scope 3 data increasingly supports procurement, operations, finance, and leadership. Platforms should be built to support cross-functional collaboration, role-based access, and governance.
How should we evaluate ROI for Scope 3 software?
ROI is not just about reporting efficiency. Buyers should evaluate how Scope 3 software enables better supplier prioritization, improved data quality, reduced reporting risk, and more informed decarbonization decisions over time.
Do more with Scope 3 software
Measuring and managing scope 3 emissions is essential for any business committed to mitigating climate change — and staying competitive in today’s increasingly climate-aware market. With the variety of comprehensive software solutions available, businesses are better equipped than ever to track, report, and ultimately reduce their entire carbon footprint. As we move towards a more sustainable future, leveraging these tools will be paramount in ensuring both business success and the well-being of our planet.
Find out how you can use Persefoni’s platform to efficiently track and report on your scope 3 data.
