How do I calculate emissions from courier and express parcel shipments using courier invoices?

Question

Senseible · Accepted Answer

For each shipment on the courier invoice, multiply actual weight in tonnes by the distance and by a factor for the mode: road for surface services, air for express and international. Use the courier's own figures instead if they state the method, such as ISO 14083 or the GLEC Framework. Airway bill number and date, to match each line. Actual weight. Couriers often charge on volumetric weight (length x width x height divided by a divisor such as 5,000); emissions use actual weight. Origin and destination pin codes or the zone, for distance. Service type: surface, air express or international priority, which tells you the mode. For domestic surface parcels, use road distance between the two cities. Parcels go through hubs, so the real route is longer than the direct road; ISO 14083 and GLEC allow a distance adjustment, which you should note. For air services, use great-circle distance between the airports and add the road legs at each end. If the invoice gives only a zone, use a typical distance for that zone and label it. Parcels travel in vans and small trucks that carry less per trip than full truckloads, and express parcels often fly. Per tonne-km, air is far higher than road. Take factors from one named source for each mode and use the same source all year. Courier shipments you pay for, inbound or outbound, are Scope 3 Category 4. Shipments your customer pays the courier for directly are Category 9. Samples sent to buyers are still your Category 4 if you pay.

How do I calculate emissions from courier and express parcel shipments using courier invoices?

What to take from a courier invoice

Distance for each mode

Factors

Which category

Worked example: one month of courier invoices

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