Breakthrough Worldly Study Pinpoints the Primary Data That Improves Scope 3 Emissions Accuracy by Over 70%
Breakthrough Worldly Study Pinpoints the Primary Data That Improves Scope 3 Emissions Accuracy by Over 70%
Learn how companies can stop chasing all data and start using the most impactful data to reduce their climate footprint.
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Worldly, the leading supply chain intelligence platform for consumer goods, today announced the release of a groundbreaking new research study that identifies exactly which supply chain data is most critical in helping businesses improve the accuracy of Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reporting. Specifically, the study proves that measuring a product’s weight is the single most important factor for improving emissions accuracy at scale, increasing reporting credibility by 54%. For years, companies seeking credible product impact insights have been stuck between two imperfect paths: broad-brush spend-based methodologies or painstaking life-cycle analyses. This research delivers the breakthrough product-level view the industry has been waiting for — a way to achieve accuracy at scale, while reducing the data burden for both brands and their suppliers.
Worldly tested three realistic data-collection strategies to understand how different levels of effort affect emissions accuracy. Brands should prioritize the right data for their top-selling products, not attempt to collect everything.
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In most consumer goods companies, Scope 3 emissions are 40–50 times higher1 than Scope 1 and 2 combined. Sustainability teams are expected to gather massive amounts of data across complex, shifting supply chains — making it challenging to determine which inputs truly shape impact improvements. As expectations for accurate emissions reporting rise in key markets, this lack of prioritization has fueled burnout, slowed climate progress, and increased operational and compliance risk.
Worldly’s new research changes that.
The Industry’s Core Challenge: Too Much Data, Lack of Clarity on How to Use It
Scope 3 emissions represent the vast majority of a brand’s carbon footprint. Yet collecting primary data across complex, shifting global supply chains is costly, time-intensive, and often impractical. The leading international climate reporting guidance encourages companies to focus on “significant” and “relevant” data, but it can be difficult for businesses to identify those key levers on their own.
As a result, many sustainability teams attempt to “collect everything,” leading to years of data-chasing and data-overwhelm for them and their supply chain partners, with little time left to reduce emissions.
Worldly’s new model provides the first science-backed answer to what data is most important for accurately measuring and reducing GHG emissions at scale.
A Data-Backed Breakthrough: What to Measure (and Why)
Worldly built a robust mathematical model using a realistic 87-product sample brand — “EveryWear” — to test the real impact of replacing industry-average assumptions with actual primary data. The results highlight dramatic differences in how much certain data types affect emissions accuracy.
Top research finding: Measuring product weight alone increases Scope 3 reporting accuracy by 54% — proof that this is where brands should focus to drive real impact.
Weight is critical to model correctly because all physical products have weights, which are the foundational building blocks of emissions inventories. Over- or under-estimate the weight of a product, and the emissions calculation will be too high or low, even if nothing else about the product changes.
Other insights include:
- Product weight is 2× more impactful than the assumed carbon footprint of the materials used.
- Product weight is nearly 4× more impactful than the exact amount of material waste produced.
- It is 15× more impactful than country of Tier 2 or Tier 3 production.
Not all primary data has equal impact on driving business strategy, and for the first time, these differences are quantified.
This gives sourcing, compliance, and sustainability teams permission — and proof — to focus their limited resources on the most meaningful data, not all possible data, to make businesses more resilient and protect against risk.
From Data Distress to Decisive Action
Worldly tested three realistic data-collection strategies to understand how different levels of effort affect emissions accuracy:
1. Deep but narrow: Product weight for all 87 products
2. Moderate depth: Product weight + material emission factors for the top 40 products
3. Shallow but wide: Product weight + material emission factors + net use for the top 30 products
Outcome: Strategy 3 increases emissions accuracy by 74%, the highest-performing approach. Notably, collecting four times more data for low-volume products does not improve accuracy further.
Clear takeaway: Brands should prioritize the right data for their top-selling products, not attempt to collect everything.
Why Unified Data Matters for the Industry
With evolving regulations, increased scrutiny, and rising investor expectations, companies need Scope 3 reporting that is both defensible and decision-ready. Worldly’s framework empowers brands to:
- Build a credible, high-accuracy emissions baseline
- Identify true hotspots for reductions
- Justify data priorities internally and externally
- Shift resources from tracking to reducing
- Monitor progress over time with clarity
Worldly’s mission is to unite the industry’s fragmented data landscape and support companies on their decarbonization journey, with solutions built for action, not just reporting.
“Companies have long struggled to know which data is most valuable for climate action. This study proves that accurate emissions reporting doesn’t require collecting everything; it requires collecting the most critical data. Our model finally gives brands a practical, science-backed roadmap to move from general reporting to truly impactful climate action and business decisions,” said Scott Raskin, CEO, Worldly.
Strengthening Business Resilience Through Better Scope 3 Intelligence
Accurate Scope 3 GHG emissions data is no longer just a reporting requirement, it’s a strategic lever for risk reduction and resilience. Supply chains are increasingly affected by climate-related disruptions, regulatory shifts, and material volatility. Without visibility into where emissions — and therefore risks — are concentrated, companies are effectively blind to the vulnerabilities buried in their upstream partners and processes.
By focusing on the highest-value primary data, brands can identify which suppliers, materials, and facilities contribute most to their footprint, enabling earlier interventions, smarter sourcing decisions, and stronger climate-aligned partnerships. The result is a more resilient supply chain that protects business continuity while accelerating decarbonization.
1. Source: Carbon Disclosure Project
About Worldly
Worldly is the leading sustainability and supply chain intelligence platform for the consumer goods industry, empowering brands, retailers, and manufacturers to turn primary data into strategic action. Trusted by a network of over 40,000 companies across apparel, footwear, home furnishings, and sporting goods, Worldly provides deep visibility into environmental and social impact — from carbon and water to chemicals and labor — at the product, facility, and value-chain levels.
Built on the industry’s leading standards, including Cascale’s Higg Index tools, Worldly transforms raw data into actionable intelligence that helps businesses reduce risk, meet evolving regulations, and accelerate measurable impact.
www.worldly.io
