Mondra Launches Scope 3 Measurement Tool for Retailers and Food Businesses

Retailers and food companies are under increasing pressure to quantify and disclose greenhouse gas emissions that occur beyond their direct operations. These indirect emissions, classified as Scope 3, typically account for the largest share of a food business’s carbon footprint, driven by agricultural production, ingredient sourcing, processing and logistics.

Despite their importance, Scope 3 emissions remain the most challenging to measure. Supply chains are often global and fragmented, involving thousands of suppliers with varying levels of data availability and technical capacity. As climate reporting requirements tighten, many companies are seeking digital solutions that move beyond high level estimates and industry averages.

Mondra’s New Digital Solution

In response to these challenges, Mondra has unveiled a new tool designed specifically to support Scope 3 measurement for retailers and food businesses. The platform aims to provide a structured way to collect, validate and analyse emissions data across supply chains, with a focus on practicality for both buyers and suppliers.

The tool enables suppliers to submit primary data related to production methods, energy use, inputs and outputs. Where primary data is not yet available, secondary datasets and recognised emission factors can be applied, with clear differentiation between estimated and supplier-provided figures. This approach is intended to improve transparency and allow companies to strengthen data quality over time.

Focus on Supplier Engagement and Usability

A central barrier to effective Scope 3 reporting in the food sector is supplier engagement, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises. Mondra’s platform has been designed to simplify data input through guided questionnaires and standardised data requests, reducing the technical burden on suppliers while maintaining methodological robustness.

For retailers and brand owners, the system aggregates supplier data into dashboards that highlight emissions hotspots by product, supplier or geography. This allows sustainability and procurement teams to prioritise engagement with high-impact areas rather than treating Scope 3 as a purely reporting exercise.

Supporting Regulatory and Disclosure Requirements

The launch of the tool coincides with increasing regulatory expectations around value chain emissions. In the European Union, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive will require detailed and auditable Scope 3 disclosures from a broad range of companies. Similar trends are emerging globally through financial regulators, stock exchanges and investor frameworks.

Mondra’s solution is designed to align with established standards such as the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, helping companies ensure that their Scope 3 calculations are methodologically consistent and defensible. The platform also maintains audit trails to support external assurance, which is becoming an essential component of sustainability reporting.

From Reporting to Emissions Reduction

Beyond compliance, more granular Scope 3 data can support emissions reduction strategies. By identifying where emissions are concentrated, companies can work with suppliers on targeted improvements such as changes in agricultural practices, energy efficiency measures, alternative inputs or lower carbon transport options.

In food supply chains, where a significant proportion of emissions occur at the farm and factory level, this type of collaboration is critical. Detailed data can also inform longer term decisions on sourcing strategies, product design and portfolio optimisation, linking climate performance more closely to commercial decision making.

Improving Data Quality Over Time

Data quality remains a key concern in Scope 3 accounting. Mondra states that its platform is designed to evolve as suppliers improve their reporting capabilities. Companies can progressively replace estimated data with primary data, improving accuracy and confidence in reported figures.

Clear differentiation between data types allows sustainability teams and auditors to understand the limitations of current disclosures while demonstrating a pathway to improvement. This iterative approach reflects the reality that comprehensive Scope 3 data cannot be achieved overnight, particularly in complex food supply chains.

A Broader Shift in Supply Chain Sustainability

The introduction of Mondra’s Scope 3 measurement tool reflects a broader shift toward data driven supply chain management in the retail and food sectors. As regulators, investors, and consumers demand greater transparency, digital platforms that combine usability with methodological rigour are becoming central to net-zero strategies.

While challenges around supplier participation and data completeness remain, tools that lower the barrier to engagement may play an important role in improving the quality, consistency and usefulness of Scope 3 emissions reporting across the industry.

Source: sustainabilityonline.net