Webinar Q&A
Data Privacy & Compliance
- Is Persefoni GDPR compliant?
Persefoni is prepared to comply with obligations applicable to it according to global data protection laws, including GDPR and CCPA. Please see our Privacy Policy for further information on your data privacy rights and how we comply with these regulations.
- Is the data inputted kept private? What are the privacy policies when it comes to data sharing?
You can review our privacy policy and how we manage your data here.
Data Input & Management
- Can "other" be added as an industry option?
Every industry must map with a North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS). With over one thousand unique codes, NAICS should be able to cover all industries.
- Can users upload data files instead of entering information manually? Are APIs available for automatic uploads?
Currently, Pro only supports bulk uploading data files for locations and Scope 3. API integrations are not available in Pro but are available in the Advanced paid product.
- Do I need to enter every single vehicle, or can I use bulk fuel data for hundreds of vehicles?
Currently, customers must add vehicles and fuel (or distance) data for each vehicle added. We are considering adding bulk uploads for vehicles in the future.
- Are vehicles required to be owned, or does this include personal vehicles used for business purposes?
Vehicles added under “Organization” should be under the company's operational control, either leased or owned. Emissions resulting from personal vehicles used for business purposes would fall under Scope 3 Category 6—Business Travel—Ground Travel and can be calculated in the Scope 3 section of the platform.
- If we have over 300 locations, can each general manager upload their data independently?
Adding new users to a Pro account comes with an additional cost of $999 USD per user. In this case, you can also download the locations bulk add form, have each manager add their locations independently, and then consolidate back into one document.
- How are emissions from closed locations accounted for if they were active for part of the year?
You can add usage data for the months that the location was active only. One way to achieve this is to sum up the total usage amount for those months and input the final number into Pro.
- How can consultants managing multiple SMEs set up profiles and gather data effectively?
Consultants wanting to leverage Pro to measure emissions data on behalf of their clients can enroll in our Consultant Partner Program. The client company will sign up for a Persefoni Pro account, and then the consultant will be added as an authorized user to their client’s account. This enables consultants to easily manage multiple clients in the same account and support the data collection process, such as adding Scope 1, 2, and 3 data.
The cost is $999 USD per client. You can choose to absorb this cost or pass it along to your clients. For this fee consultants and their clients can expect to:
- Get access to best-in-class software trusted by Fortune 100 companies. Clients are increasingly demanding that consultants calculate their emissions using software rather than Excel so using Persefoni Pro saves you both the time and money required to build your own software
- Get access to a team of Climate Professionals supporting any inquiries you have about how to use the platform or answer questions relating to carbon accounting
- Leverage Persefoni's brand value to help you win new deals and set yourself apart from the competition. Our partners have found success acquiring new clients by emphasizing that their emissions inventory was completed using a standardized and transparent methodology aligned with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
Emission Calculations & Methodology
- What database is used to convert kWh or therms to carbon emissions?
Emissions factors (EFs) are used to convert usage data (e.g. how much electricity, petrol, etc.) was used into carbon emissions. For example, one of the UK DEFRA 2023 emissions factors details that 1 kWh of electricity results in 0.205 kg of carbon dioxide. Persefoni Pro brings in data from multiple government databases and other sources and applies the appropriate emissions factor based on country. Each greenhouse gas, such as methane and nitrous oxide, will be added and converted into carbon dioxide equivalent to arrive at a final carbon footprint. - Is there an option to input monthly instead of annual data?
Usage data cannot be disaggregated month by month and must be summed to arrive at an annual usage amount. If your location or vehicle was only in use for certain parts of the year, then you can sum only the months where usage data exists. - Does the platform provide a breakdown of emissions by gases (e.g., CO2, CH4, N2O)?
Yes, the CDP Metrics Report and CA-CCDA report include a breakdown of emissions by each greenhouse gas. Each report is available for $999 USD. - Does the platform allow location-based and market-based emissions calculations for purchased electricity?
Currently, market-based emissions are only available in the paid Advanced product. - Can emission factors used in calculations be viewed?
Yes, emissions factors used for each calculation can be viewed by purchasing a GHG Metrics Report, which costs $999 USD. - Can users input custom emission factors into the platform?
Persefoni Pro does not support custom emissions. If your organization needs this, please consider upgrading to Persefoni Advanced. Our Pricing page outlines other differences between Persefoni Pro and Persefoni Advanced. - Does the platform use different emission factors for energy use across countries?
Yes, for purchased electricity, the emission factors (EFs) selected differ depending on the country where the facility is located. For example, if the facility is in the UK, UK DEFRA EFs will be used. If the location is in the US, then US EPA EFs will be used. For other countries, IEA EFs will be used. You can read more information about emission factor sets used in Persefoni Pro here. - For Scope 1, is there a category for "on-site diesel storage" for refueling vehicles?
There isn’t a category for diesel storage because simply storing fuel does not generate greenhouse gas emissions. Under the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, diesel fuel emissions would only be calculated at the point of combustion, for example when the diesel is used to fuel a vehicle. - How does the platform handle redundant data if the same information is uploaded twice?
For Scopes 1 & 2, it is up to the customer to ensure that any data uploaded is reflective of their company’s usage. There are tooltips in the platform where appropriate to remind users to not upload duplicative data as we have seen it done in the past.
Scope 3 & Supplier Engagement
- Is there a feature to allow suppliers to provide Scope 3 category 1 footprints directly, e.g., through a form?
Our paid Persefoni Advanced platform allows companies to request Scope 3 category 1 footprints directly from their supplier by sending a Data Exchange request. The supplier will then sign up for a free Persefoni Pro account and measure their emissions directly on our platform. After this, the supplier consents to sharing their emissions data with the requesting company. Provided that the supplier has measured their Scopes 1, 2, and 3 emissions, the requesting company will receive this information along with a breakdown of each Scope 3 category. This provides more accurate emissions data compared to using a form.
Product Features & Pricing
- What are the limitations of the free version of Persefoni Pro?
Persefoni Pro is designed for companies with low to medium-complexity of operations, seeking to respond to requests for their carbon footprint from customers and investors or regulators. The calculation engine on both the free Pro version and the paid Advanced version is identical. Persefoni Advanced is designed for climate-ambitious or enterprise-scale companies establishing the digital backbone to scale their climate programs, and as such as enhanced functionality for supplier engagement, emissions tracking, scenario planning, assurance, and auditability. You can read more about the differences between the two platforms on our Pricing page. - Does Persefoni Pro include features for financial modeling of GHG reduction strategies or comparisons with similar SMEs?
Industry benchmarking and decarbonization planning are available for paying Advanced customers only. Persefoni’s Customer Success team frequently supports clients with industry-specific benchmarking utilizing all CDP data, which we license annually. - Does the platform support scenario planning to prioritize alternatives for target achievement?
Persefoni offers a Net Zero Navigator module, allowing companies to model different decarbonization scenarios and plan accordingly. This feature is only available as part of our paid Persefoni Advanced offering. - Does the paid product support product-level modeling?
Product carbon footprint is on the Advanced roadmap for 2025.
Audit & Assurance Readiness
- How is the system auditable? Can auditors see calculation details like emission factors and estimates?
Persefoni Pro is designed for companies with low to medium-complexity of operations, seeking to respond to requests for their carbon footprint from customers and investors or regulators. Companies of this nature often are not at a stage where they would need a third-party audit and need time to build up internal sustainability reporting capacity before they are ready to pursue assurance.
Often, these SMEs simply want to share their emissions data to comply with investor requests or customer or supplier demands, in which case the GHG Methodology report detailing the total emissions, calculation method, and emission factor sets used will be sufficient.
Climate-ambitious companies with complex operations seeking a solution that will enable them to pass a third-party audit should seek our paid Advanced solution, which has audit-ready features such as variance checks, advanced data controls, advanced permissions, calculation transparency, and more.
- Is Persefoni identified by global standards or certifications?
The Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHGP) is the foundation of Persefoni’s methodology for calculating emissions and is the accepted gold standard that guides all reporting and disclosure frameworks. For example, CDP, ISSB, TCFD, CSRD, and other reporting and disclosure standards refer back to GHGP.
Regulatory & Market Alignment
- Is the platform compatible with EcoVadis requests?
Yes, many companies use Persefoni Pro to calculate their emissions for an EcoVadis submission. - How are CSRD-related questions inputted into the platform?
The software will automatically support quantitative portions of the disclosure requirements using your company emissions data. The qualitative, open-text portion of the disclosures can be answered using our free Sustainability Reporting module. You can learn more about this feature here.
Additional Questions
- How many companies have used Persefoni Pro so far?
Nearly 5,000 companies have signed up for Persefoni Pro.
- How does Persefoni Pro differ from other platforms?
Persefoni Pro is not a simple “carbon calculator.” It is an end-to-end, intuitive software platform where you can save your data, track progress over time, and confidently share your carbon footprint and climate targets with your customers, investors, and anyone through a streamlined and secure process. Other free solutions in the market typically use revenue-based estimates, are not aligned with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, and are not suited to produce ready disclosures.
- What are the support options available for technical issues or guidance?
The customer can autonomously measure Scope 1 and Scope 2. For Scope 3, companies will be supported by a team of Climate Professionals who will assist with general GHG accounting inquiries. If your company requires further guidance, such as a footprint review or setting Science-Based Targets, please contact our team for a bespoke support offering.
