Arup has strengthened its global carbon advisory services with the launch of a new carbon measurement and management service and tool called Beacon. The tool provides a complete global set of cost based supply chain metrics which convert financial supply chain activity into a carbon footprint. It was developed in response to an accelerated market need to report on Scope 1-3 carbon emissions.
     The service was developed as the result of an alliance between Arup and The Centre for Sustainability Accounting (CenSA), for Arup to obtain sole use of CenSA's global supply chain greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity data.
     The data is used to calculate organisational Scope 3 emissions in accordance with the new GHG protocol and comprises unique and extensively researched data of supply chain products, broken down into 57 sectors across 94 countries to offer a previously unavailable granularity of data in the global marketplace.
     James Rooke, Arup's carbon management leader, says "This represents a dramatic advance in understanding global supply chain emissions and brings new clarity to the carbon agenda. Arup can now provide understanding and a unique solution in response to current thinking around the new GHG reporting protocols."
     The tool enables organisations to view the impact of emissions from their global supply chain emissions impact through global scope 3 factors, which has not been possible until now. Crucially this new product meets the requirements of the GHG protocol revision released in October.
     The launch of Beacon is a timely response to the low carbon demand of fast growing Asian countries, where rapid urbanisation places immense pressure on natural resources and ecosystems. It enables Arup to provide better solutions for the sustainable development of organisations and communities.