# We do not want to hand our buyer our fuel and production records. What does the GHG Protocol suggest instead?

Canonical: https://senseible.earth/answers/supplier-confidentiality-third-party-assurance-instead-of-raw-records

The GHG Protocol's table of supplier challenges gives two answers: protect confidential data with non-disclosure agreements and firewalls, or give the buyer third-party assurance instead of detailed activity data. It also tells buyers to ask for data suppliers already have, and to keep the request simple.

## What the standard suggests to buyers

- Protect suppliers' confidential and proprietary information, for example with non-disclosure agreements and firewalls.
- Ask suppliers to obtain third-party assurance rather than submitting detailed activity data, to avoid disclosing confidential information.

## How you can use it

1. Offer an NDA before you share anything.
2. Offer an independent assurer's statement on your figures as the alternative to raw records.
3. If the buyer insists on activity data, agree what is shown, such as kWh and litres of fuel, and what stays hidden, such as prices and customer names.

## Why buyers still ask for activity data

The same table says buyers can cut errors by asking for activity data, such as kWh of electricity and kg of fuel, and calculating the emissions themselves, and may also consider third-party assurance. So expect a push for quantities. Prices are not needed for that.

## Language and effort

The table also tells buyers to translate questionnaires into local languages, use a simple standard template, give a clear list of what is needed and where to find it, such as utility bills, and coordinate with other requests. Ask for these.

## What Senseible does here

Senseible turns your bills and invoices into verified emission records by site, so you can answer a buyer with figures you can trace to a document. Verified here means rule checks passed against the evidence. It is not third-party assurance.

- [Buyer audit rights over supplier data](https://senseible.earth/answers/buyer-audit-rights-over-supplier-emissions-data)
- [Can a buyer pass our carbon data on?](https://senseible.earth/answers/can-buyer-pass-our-carbon-data-on)
- [Scope 3 supplier evidence](https://senseible.earth/scope-3-supplier-evidence)

Sources: [GHG Protocol, Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting Standard](https://ghgprotocol.org/sites/default/files/standards/Corporate-Value-Chain-Accounting-Reporing-Standard_041613_2.pdf)

Last reviewed 2026-11-04.