Should we round our carbon estimates up to be safe?
Not for an inventory. The GHG Protocol asks for accuracy: no systematic overstatement or understatement. Use the best estimate and state the uncertainty. Conservativeness is a principle for carbon credit projects under ISO 14064-2, where overclaiming reductions is the risk. Never inflate a baseline to show a bigger cut later.
Where to be careful
- Missing months: estimate from similar months and label it.
- Unknown factors: use a recognised default and cite it.
- Reduction claims: understate rather than overstate.
What verifiers want
A clear note of each estimate, the method and the source. A padded figure is as wrong as a low one.
What Senseible does here
Senseible keeps each record linked to its source document and marks estimates as estimates, so a verifier can see what was measured and what was assumed.
Sources: GHG Protocol Corporate Standard, ISO
Last reviewed 2026-10-23.