Case Study: Cornwall Council: Building Supply Chain Carbon Capability
The Challenge: Addressing Scope 3 Emissions
Cornwall Council undertook a comprehensive assessment of its carbon footprint across Scopes 1, 2 and 3 and identified that, consistent with most public sector organisations, the majority of emissions originated within its supply chain.
Many of the Council’s suppliers are either critical service providers or small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) at an early stage in their carbon journey. With limited internal resource and carbon expertise, these organisations can struggle to measure and manage emissions effectively.
For Cornwall Council, this presented a clear challenge: meaningful Scope 3 reductions cannot be achieved without suppliers first being able to measure, understand and reduce their own emissions. A compliance-led approach risked placing additional burden on SMEs. Instead, the Council chose to invest in capability building across its supply chain.
The Approach: Building Measurement and Reporting Capability
We delivered a targeted Carbon Literacy and supplier engagement programme designed specifically for local businesses within Cornwall Council’s supply chain.
The sessions focused on building practical carbon management capability through a structured training programme designed specifically for SMEs, combining foundational knowledge with applied, hands-on learning. Delivered through three interactive one-hour Microsoft Teams sessions and supported by practical Microsoft Excel tools, the training equipped participants with the skills and confidence to begin managing their organisational carbon footprint.
Across the programme, SMEs were supported to:
- Measure emissions across Scopes 1, 2 and 3
Participants were introduced to the fundamentals of climate science and carbon accounting, including the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and emissions boundary-setting. The training explored emissions sources across all scopes, data requirements, emission factors, and the end-to-end carbon accounting process. Practical exercises enabled attendees to calculate emissions from energy use, helping translate theory into real-world application.
- Identify carbon hotspots within their operations and value chains
A dedicated deep-dive into Scope 3 emissions supported organisations to understand indirect emissions and their significance within supply chains. Participants mapped their value chains, explored Scope 3 categories, and learned how procurement decisions and supplier engagement influence overall emissions performance. Interactive exercises demonstrated how to estimate supply chain emissions using spend-based carbon accounting approaches and lifecycle thinking.
- Understand proportionate data collection methods suitable for smaller organisations
Recognising SME resource constraints, the training emphasised pragmatic and scalable approaches to data collection. Sessions covered different data types, methods for classifying spend data, and proportionate measurement techniques that allow organisations to begin reporting emissions without requiring complex datasets. Guidance focused on balancing accuracy with feasibility to enable early progress.
- Develop achievable and commercially realistic reduction initiatives
The final session focused on translating measurement into action through net-zero planning. Participants were introduced to Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) principles, sectoral emissions pathways, and approaches to setting credible reduction targets. The training explored practical abatement opportunities across Scopes 1, 2 and 3, financial considerations such as marginal abatement cost, and prioritisation of “low-hanging fruit.” Case studies from organisations including Tesco and American Airlines illustrated real-world transition pathways, alongside guidance on monitoring progress and the appropriate role of offsetting.
Collectively, the programme strengthened suppliers’ understanding of both the business and regulatory drivers for carbon accounting, enabling them to engage stakeholders internally and across their supply chains, improve emissions oversight, and contribute more effectively to Scope 3 emissions management. This not only supported participating organisations’ own decarbonisation journeys but also increased social value locally by building low-carbon capability and resilience within the regional economy.
To support this, we offered free carbon maturity assessments to all 18 suppliers participated in the programme. These assessments benchmarked each supplier’s current level of progress in measuring and managing greenhouse gas emissions, identifying strengths as well as gaps in areas such as emissions measurement, governance structures, target-setting, and reduction planning.
Each participating supplier received tailored recommendations designed to improve their carbon maturity score and provide clear, practical next steps to begin or accelerate their decarbonisation journey. This enabled organisations at varying levels of capability to move from awareness to action, supporting them to establish credible emissions reporting processes and build internal confidence in carbon management.
By strengthening suppliers’ ability to measure and report emissions consistently, the assessments also improved the quality and reliability of data available to the Council, directly supporting its ability to quantify and reduce Scope 3 emissions across the supply chain. In addition, helping suppliers develop carbon management capabilities enhances their long-term economic competitiveness, positioning them to meet growing public- and private-sector procurement requirements, respond to net zero expectations, and access future low-carbon market opportunities.
Rather than imposing requirements that SMEs may struggle to meet, Cornwall Council demonstrated leadership by investing in supplier capability and reinforcing a partnership-led model of engagement.
The Impact: Unlocking Supply Chain Confidence and Action
The programme delivered measurable improvements in supplier confidence and capability.
Based on pre- and post-session surveys:
- Average carbon accounting and Scope 3 knowledge nearly doubled.
- Confidence levels increased from “not very confident” to “moderately confident” (a 50% increase in confidence levels against the baseline).
- Over half of the participants indicated they now felt confident reporting their emissions, including Scope 3, to Cornwall Council.
- 100% of participants said they would recommend the sessions to other Cornwall Council supplier.
Suppliers consistently highlighted the practical and accessible nature of the training. One participant noted that the sessions provided “foundation information building to a high level of understanding, with open, honest and clear exchanges.”
Another shared that the training “helped me over the Scope 3 hump and was clear and well explained,” reflecting how the programme addressed one of the most challenging aspects of carbon accounting for SMEs.
Building SME Capacity with CarbonTrack
Many councils’ key suppliers are SMEs that lack the internal resource to measure and manage emissions. Capacity building removes this barrier and accelerates supply chain decarbonisation.
Through CarbonTrack, we support councils and their suppliers with:
- Carbon Maturity Assessments: Evaluate supplier readiness and create tailored improvement roadmaps.
- Carbon Literacy Training: Workshops on measuring emissions and identifying reduction opportunities.
- Ongoing Support: Light-touch guidance to help SMEs progress from first measurement to action.
Why councils invest in this approach: it accelerates net zero progress, demonstrates partnership over punishment, strengthens the local economy, and unlocks Scope 3 reductions at scale.
Want to accelerate your supply chain decarbonisation without over-burdening SMEs?
If you’re looking to accelerate supply chain decarbonisation without over-burdening SMEs, we’re offering 15-minute complimentary discussions to map priority suppliers and identify the most effective capacity-building approach using CarbonTrack.
Get in touch to explore CarbonTrack SME capacity building for your supply chain: CarbonTrack – Carbon accounting for the public sector