For some businesses the term carbon accounting may be completely new and for other’s they may already be actively involved with it. In either case using Carbon accounting software in 2024 is key to making your businesses efforts to account for carbon more effective, simpler and more successful.

Increasing regulations and legislation in recent years has meant that reporting of GHG  (Greenhouse Gases) in the past was more of a voluntary effort are now often required or highly suggested. Companies of a certain size in the UK already have to disclose their emissions (as required by the SECR), In the EU the CSRD has expanded meaning more companies are also required to report theirs as well as aiming for net zero.

You’ll also see that the  Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the US are also actively seeking to standardize GHG disclosure for all publicly traded companies.

Best carbon accounting software

1. Greenly

Greenly are one of the leaders in the carbon accounting software space, their intuitive and precise carbon management platform helps your business to measure, control and ultimately reduce your co2 emissions.

You can get pricing and book a demo on the Greenly pricing plan page.

Their carbon accounting platform covers the key areas you’d expect with a focus on the four approaches below:

Measuring

They help your business to accurately measure your GHG and CO2 emissions:

• Scope 1, 2 and 3 - ensuring you cover all scopes
• Activity based - Discover activities that cause emissions through real activity data
• Spend based - With in house technology, Greenly can automatically analyses carbon impact of activities via spend-based methods
• Benchmarking - compare your emissions with other players in your industry
• Supplier involvement - help to reduce your impact by working with your suppliers
• Employee involvement - Getting your employees to actively help via customized plans
• Location based data - Use data based on location to increase the accuracy of your energy usage

Reducing

Once your emissions are measured you start the process of making plans to reduce them, Greenly help by:

• Creating personalized action plans - That covers all scopes
• Quantification - to help improve your strategy
• Reduction trajectory - Evaluate your business activities to help develop scenarios to reduce your impact
• Simulators - Using virtual assessments you see what new business activities will effect your carbon footprint and by how much

Contributing 

Use Greenly’s certified projects to offset your impact, they have various options available to you including:

• Extensive catalogue - With projects to help diversity your businesses carbon offsetting investments
• Autonomy - Access one of the world’s biggest catalogue of climate projects across the world
• Official certifications - helping validate your journey to net zero

Reporting

Greenly makes sure that the reporting side of carbon accounting is covered including:

Certifications - Ability to upload reports and certificates that can show key stakeholders your progress

Audit-ready reports - You can produce reports that are up to industry standards that are ready for auditing

Press releases - Greenly's marketing team can help produce marketing communications around your activity. 

With over 1500+ companies using their software including names such as HSBC, Gorgias, HelloFresh and more they’re one of the best options when it comes to making your business net zero. 

2. Ecologi

For businesses (especially those in the UK) seeking a partner in their sustainability journey, Ecologi offers a compelling solution with its innovative approach. The company has garnered attention for its rapid growth, driven by a mission to help companies offset their carbon emissions and contribute to reforestation efforts worldwide. With a recent surge in popularity, Ecologi has solidified its position as a go-to platform for businesses aiming to mitigate their environmental impact. Like other players in the market, Ecologi focuses on providing comprehensive solutions encompassing carbon offsetting, emission reduction strategies, and environmental education. Notably, their emphasis on reforestation projects sets them apart, offering businesses a tangible way to offset their carbon footprint while contributing to global biodiversity conservation efforts.

With a growing client base that includes businesses of various sizes and industries, Ecologi demonstrates its effectiveness in empowering companies to take meaningful action towards sustainability. By partnering with Ecologi, businesses can not only fulfill their environmental responsibilities but also engage their stakeholders in a collective effort to combat climate change and build a greener future.

3. Net Zero Cloud by Salesforce

Another option to consider for larger business is Net Zero Cloud by Salesforce, they offer an impressive solution when it comes to looking to reach net-zero. With Salesforce's reputation for innovation and sustainability, Net Zero Cloud provides a user-friendly suite of tools to help companies measure, manage, and reduce their carbon footprint.

Through features like data analytics and collaborative functionalities, businesses can set achievable emission reduction targets and monitor progress in real-time. Plus, with Salesforce's commitment to sustainability, Net Zero Cloud ensures alignment with industry standards, providing a reliable solution for businesses of all sizes.

Net Zero Cloud, companies can make meaningful strides towards environmental responsibility while enhancing their reputation in today's eco-conscious market.

4. Ignite

Ignites carbon accounting gives you full coverage making sure that you don't let any emissions be forgotten whether thats’ direct or indirect ones. They combine different methodology in order for as higher accuracy as possible and have a focus on high level auditing.

You can read more about their solution on the Ignite website.

5. PlanA

For those looking for a company growing quickly to help manage their carbon accounting then planA are one to look at, they’ve recently raised $27m to help companies to go on the journey to net-zero.

As with other companies they focus on collecting all data that’s possible, measuring, reporting, setting targets and then reducing your emissions. 

They boast companies such as BMW, Trivago, Alphabet and hundreds more as customers.

5. Terrascope

Terrascope is a key contender in the carbon management arena, specializing in pinpointing the sources of a company's emissions and guiding them towards reduction strategies, ultimately aiming for net-zero status. With a notable expertise in agricultural value chains, Terrascope offers tailored solutions that address emissions from this sector, a significant contributor to carbon footprints. Their focus on serving enterprise-level companies underscores their commitment to providing comprehensive and scalable solutions that align with the needs of large organizations. By leveraging Terrascope's expertise and guidance, businesses can develop customized plans to effectively reduce their emissions, contributing to both environmental sustainability and long-term corporate resilience.

6. Normative

Normative is a top choice for businesses looking to manage their carbon emissions. Their cloud-based software makes it easy for companies of any size to measure and track their environmental impact. With clients like Hertz, Hitachi, Zurich, and Dunelm, Normative has proven itself as a trusted solution in the industry. Their platform provides accurate insights into emissions across supply chains, helping businesses understand their full climate footprint. Armed with this information, companies can take practical steps to reduce their emissions and promote sustainability throughout their operations.

Normative's user-friendly interface and powerful analytics make it simple for businesses to integrate carbon accounting into their processes, demonstrating their commitment to environmental responsibility while gaining a competitive edge in the market.

7. Persefoni

If you're a company seeking an effective carbon accounting software solution, Persefoni stands out as a comprehensive platform tailored to meet the evolving needs of sustainability management. With its robust suite of tools and features, Persefoni enables organizations to accurately measure, monitor, and mitigate their carbon emissions across various operational scopes. Whether tracking direct emissions from facilities or assessing indirect emissions from supply chains, Persefoni provides the necessary data analytics and reporting functionalities to streamline the carbon accounting process and facilitate informed decision-making.

Beyond its core capabilities in carbon accounting, Persefoni offers a user-friendly interface and customizable dashboards, making it accessible and intuitive for businesses of all sizes. Additionally, the platform integrates with existing data systems and sustainability frameworks, ensuring seamless implementation and alignment with industry standards. By leveraging Persefoni's advanced analytics and insights, companies can not only enhance their environmental performance but also unlock opportunities for cost savings, regulatory compliance, and competitive differentiation in an increasingly sustainability-focused marketplace.

They work with companies such as Deloitte, AWS, ERM and more, you can visit Persefoni and read more about them.

8. Microsoft Sustainability Cloud

For businesses aiming to enhance their sustainability initiatives and effectively manage their carbon footprint, Microsoft's Sustainability Cloud emerges as a compelling solution. With a robust suite of ESG capabilities developed in collaboration with global partners, it empowers organizations to expedite their sustainability endeavors while driving business growth. One pivotal component of this ecosystem is the Microsoft Sustainability Manager, a cloud-based software solution tailor-made for tracking, reporting, and mitigating environmental impact.

Available in both Essentials and Premium versions, this tool enables businesses to streamline their carbon accounting processes, providing actionable insights to identify areas for improvement and implement targeted strategies for emission reduction. By leveraging the Microsoft Sustainability Cloud, businesses can not only fulfill their environmental responsibilities but also harness sustainability as a catalyst for innovation and competitive advantage in today's increasingly eco-conscious market landscape.

9. Diligent

Founded in 1994 and originating from New Zealand before establishing its headquarters in the United States, Diligent is a leading provider of governance, risk, and compliance software solutions tailored for executives, non-profits, and governmental entities. Notably, Diligent expanded its offerings with the acquisition of Accuvio, a legacy ESG vendor based in Limerick, Ireland, in August 2021. Originally founded in 2009 with a small team, Accuvio brings expertise in ESG reporting and sustainability solutions to the Diligent ecosystem.

Diligent and Accuvio's joint mission is to enhance governance practices by integrating risk management, compliance, cost-saving initiatives, and auditing processes into a unified platform. Their offerings include climate leadership certification, sustainability reporting tools, and compliance management solutions, aiming to empower organizations to navigate the complexities of modern governance effectively. However, while Diligent and Accuvio excel in many aspects of ESG and sustainability management, some organizations may find limitations in the scope of carbon emissions calculations and performance monitoring within their platforms.

10. Sphera

Founded with a focus on ESG performance and risk management, Sphera offers comprehensive solutions for emissions management, emphasizing integration to enhance safety and mitigate liabilities. With a core mission centered around promoting organizational safety as a cornerstone for building trust and fostering a positive environmental reputation, Sphera provides a holistic approach to sustainability.

Central to Sphera's strategy is the elimination of information silos by centralizing reporting, data analytics, and management tools. By consolidating these resources, teams can collaborate more effectively on safety and sustainability initiatives, driving greater efficiency and accountability across the organization. As part of The Blackstone Group, Sphera benefits from strategic partnerships and resources, including the acquisition of thinkstep in 2019, which further strengthens its position as a leader in the field of sustainability and ESG management software.

11. Emitwise

If you have a complex supply chain then Emitwise are one of the companies you should consider, their platform helps businesses with more complexity to measure, track ,report and ultimately reduce their carbon footprint.

They do have a focus on more complex Scope 3 emissions as these are the emissions that come from your supply chain, often these are overlooked as they are more complex to measure but they can account for up to 90% of your businesses emissions so measuring, tracking and looking to improve them can make a huge difference to businesses.

meas12. Sweep

Sweep offer a carbon emission management tool that focuses on the collaboration as a core feature within their platform. Essentially this allows you and your team to all contribute and work together to help head towards net zero for your company. 

They do cover the key areas from corporate emissions, supply chain, compliance and ESG. 

Sweep are more of an affordable option for some but they do lack some features including advancing reporting that some may require, it is worth exploring though. 

What is Carbon Accounting

Carbon accounting is the process of calculating how much green house gas your business emits (these are emissions that are directly from your business, those made via your business purchases as well as indirect greenhouse gas emissions), this in turn helps your business to be in a better position and to be empowered to achieve net zero emissions and in order to comply with reporting legislation. 

Much like how your have financial accountants who look at the financials of your business you can use carbon accounting software to do the same.

What is Carbon accounting software

There are now many companies out their that have creating carbon accounting software which aims to help businesses calculate and measure their business’s carbon footprint and understand where the emissions have come from. 

Without using such software the process of accounting and working out your companies emissions can be difficult and very time consuming. 

In the past scope 1 and 2 emissions were satisfactory however in 2024 and moving forwards there is a 15-category scope 3 emissions calculations that are now the new accepted way. 

As many businesses will understand with changing legislation and constantly changing business activities measuring, calculating and trying to offset and reduce emissions can be a minefield.

To help businesses there are now varies Carbon accounting software options out there and this guide will help you look at the best carbon accounting software for your business.

Why use carbon accounting software

Carbon accounting should not be solely viewed as something just large companies should be actively looking to do, more and more small to medium sized businesses across the world especially in the US, EU and UK are looking to implement carbon accounting software.

The reasons behind each companies choices to do this will vary but for many they are related to the following reasons:

• Staying compliant - keeping compliant with regulations that affect your business can be complicated, software can help make it easier and more accurate
• Running accurate reports
• Getting access to real-time analysis
• Benchmark your emissions compared to those in your industry
• Help to reduce your emissions - software can help create personalized action plans for your business
• Virtual simulators - which can help predict new business activity carbon footprints by running virtual assessments
• Track your progress
• Offset and invest in ways to offset your carbon
• Official certification

Those that embrace emission accounting software should be able to benefit from:

• Less costs relating to calculating emissions
• Reduced internal costs due to energy wastage as well as increases in the efficiency of the energy they do use
• More trust with stakeholders and investors
• Increase in supply chain efficiency
• Brand value should rise
• Your company can become more competitive
• Reduction in waste as a whole

They may also avoid the following issues that may arise in the future from those that don't using carbon accounting platforms:

• Sales falling due to consumer emphasis on net-zero companies
• Cost rising for companies who are not efficient
• Fines from not being compliant or hitting targets set by regulators
• Higher costs will mean it will be harder to be competitive
• Potential for carbon taxes
• Increase in costs to offset carbon

Why measure your company emissions

Measuring and understand your companies emissions can be extremely beneficial, once you’ve implemented a way to do this your business will be able to:

• Stay compliant with any regulations that affect you
• Get a clear picture of your companies environmental impact
• Minimize your companies climate risks
• Promote sustainability within your business as well as to your customers
• Take action to become more sustainable
• Try to reduce your emissions 
• Gives you the ability for your company to provide investors and potential investors with reports on your emissions and GHG
• Reduce the risk of greenwashing

Emission Management Platform

This software is often referred to in other terms including carbon management software, carbon tracking software and emission management platforms however regardless of name they all offer a similar solution for companies looking to evaluate, track, manage and reduce their carbon footprint and emissions.

With the majority of companies aiming for net-zero as a goal or simply to ensure that they are complaint with government and other agreed legislation and regulations these platforms have grown in popularity in recent years.

Each year including in 2024 legislation is getting stricter and more pressure is on companies to reduce their emissions whether that is direct, indirect or as part of their whole supply chain.

Key features of Carbon management software

Software for carbon accounting does vary from provider to provider, so it’s important to understand the key features you should be looking for when it comes to selecting a company to go with.

• Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions - We’d advise to make sure the software you use is able to calculate Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions in real time and have the ability to convert this into CO2e (CO2 Equivalents)
• Compliance - Make sure the software you go with is compliant with the regulations and countries within which you operate or are regulated by
• Reporting - ensure that there are reporting options available that you require
• Data input - Ensure that the company and software you use can pull data from various different methods especially those that you know your company currently use/have access to
• Ease of use - Make sure that the platform looks well designed, user friendly and will fit with the technical ability of those that will use it
• Integration - Make sure that it looks as though the integration within your business will work. For example will it integrate well with other systems and software you use within your business
• Tracking abilities - Ensure that they offer your business the ability to track where emissions have come from and ensure it covers your supply chain in full
• Implementation time - Make sure you understand the time it will take to implement the software into your business, some companies will offer help in this which can be very advantageous
• Price - You’ll need to work out the cost of implementation and on-going costs of the software. This price will vary massively depending on the size and complexity of your organization, it could be from a few thousand dollars up to hundreds of thousands.
• Forecasting - Most software will let you not only report back on existing and history emissions and carbon data but will also let you forecast future emissions, this can be incredibly useful and also allow you to look into ways to reduce this.
• Support - As with any software, support is always essentially to ensure if you have any issues they can eb sorted quickly and efficiently. Most carbon accounting softwares will have a dedicated team of customer support and tech experts to help you when needed.

FAQ's about Carbon Accounting Platforms

Which carbon accounting method is most widely used and accepted?

There are various methods for this but the most commonly accepted and widely used is the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. This protocol sets out how businesses should measure and manage their emissions as well as how to report on it.

You can find out more about this on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol website.

Whats the best carbon footprint calculator?

There are various carbon footprint calculators out there that use various methodologies to calculate your carbon footprint.

Below you'll find our top carbon footprint calculators:

• UN Carbon Calculator - ClimateNeutralNow
• Greenly Carbon Calculator - Greenly
• Personal Footprint - CarbonFootprint.com
• SME calculator - Carbon Trust
• Another SME calculator - SMEClimateHub
• Business carbon emissions calculator - Climeco
• Individual & Corporate calculator - Terrapass

Which carbon accounting software is best for my company?

When it comes to finding the right carbon accounting software for your company, remember to look for software that can automate a lot of the tasks, whether this is the collection of data, the reporting, the audting and so on. This can save your company a lot of time and money in the long run.

Additionally, look into how emissions are calculation ensuring that they either use standardized and accepted methodologies. When it comes to the reporting side make sure that the reports themselves are produced for you in a way that makes it suitable to give to your stakeholders such as investors as this will be an important part of the process.

Is carbon accounting software suitable for businesses of all sizes?

‍Yes, carbon accounting software can be beneficial for businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large multinational corporations. While the specific needs and scale of implementation may vary depending on the size and complexity of the organization, the fundamental principles of carbon accounting remain the same. Small businesses may use simpler software solutions focused on basic emissions tracking, while larger enterprises may require more robust platforms capable of handling complex data integration and analysis.

How does carbon management platforms help businesses reduce their carbon footprint?

Carbon management platforms help businesses reduce their carbon footprint by providing insights into emissions sources and identifying areas for improvement. With detailed data analysis and reporting capabilities, organizations can pinpoint inefficiencies, set emission reduction targets, and implement strategies to optimize energy usage, streamline operations, and adopt more sustainable practices. By monitoring progress over time, businesses can track their performance and make data-driven decisions to achieve their sustainability goals.

Do carbon accounting solutions help businesses comply with environmental regulations?

‍Yes, carbon accounting software can assist businesses in complying with environmental regulations by facilitating accurate measurement and reporting of carbon emissions. Many jurisdictions worldwide have implemented regulations and reporting requirements related to greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, and environmental performance. Carbon accounting software automates data collection, calculation, and reporting processes, helping businesses ensure compliance with regulatory standards and avoid potential penalties or fines.

Is carbon accounting software expensive to implement and maintain?

‍The cost of implementing and maintaining carbon accounting software can vary depending on factors such as the size of the organization, the complexity of its operations, and the chosen software solution. While some carbon accounting software platforms may require a significant upfront investment, they can provide long-term cost savings through improved efficiency, reduced resource consumption, and enhanced sustainability.

Additionally, many software providers offer scalable pricing models and subscription-based plans tailored to the needs and budget of businesses of all sizes.