# A buyer asks whether we have an emissions reduction target. What should a small supplier say?

Canonical: https://senseible.earth/answers/buyer-asks-supplier-reduction-target

Answer honestly. If you have no target, say so and give your measured baseline and the steps planned. If you set one, keep it simple, absolute or per unit, with a base year and target year. A science-based target is optional for most small suppliers.

## If you have none

- Share the baseline year and figure.
- List planned actions: solar, efficient motors, fuel switch.
- Give a date to set a target.

## If you set one

Choose absolute or intensity, a base year with real data, and a target year. Track it each year.

## Science-based targets

SBTi has a simpler route for small companies; check whether the buyer actually requires it.

## What Senseible does here

Senseible reads bills, fuel invoices and production records into dated, fingerprinted records, so the figure you send a buyer can be traced to its documents.

- [Absolute or intensity target](https://senseible.earth/answers/absolute-or-intensity-reduction-target)
- [Check a supplier's SBTi target](https://senseible.earth/answers/check-if-supplier-has-sbti-target)
- [MSME transition plan](https://senseible.earth/answers/msme-climate-transition-plan-what-to-include)

Sources: [Science Based Targets initiative](https://sciencebasedtargets.org), [GHG Protocol Corporate Standard](https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard)

Last reviewed 2026-10-22.