Scope 3 is the channel’s biggest climate risk: and opportunity

Thomas Mardahl, CEO and Founder of Rejoose, explains that Scope 3 emissions go way beyond the socket, and why the channel has a crucial role to play in carbon accountability

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Thomas Mardahl

As regulators, customers, and manufacturers ramp up demands for carbon transparency, the IT channel has a critical role to play.

But some resellers and distributors are still relying on outdated, spend-based estimates that hide the real emissions footprint. Here’s why accurate Scope 3 data is now essential for credibility, competitiveness — and climate action.

In the IT industry, carbon emissions don’t just come from power sockets. They’re embedded deep in your servers, laptops, cables, and switches — long before you unbox them.

The biggest emissions in IT aren’t the ones you can see.

They’re the ones you bought.

Scope 3: The Sleeping Giant of IT Emissions

For most organizations, Scope 3 emissions account for more than 90 per cent of their IT carbon footprint. These are the indirect emissions — from raw material extraction, component manufacturing, global logistics, and product disposal — and they sit almost entirely in purchased goods and services.

In simpler terms: they are tied to what you buy, not what you burn.

Yet despite their massive impact, many companies still track these emissions using outdated methods: spend-based or weight-based calculations that apply generic carbon values to rough categories or price tags.

Let’s be honest: that’s not measurement. That’s modelling fiction.

The Data We Use Shapes the Decisions We Make

When companies rely on carbon guesswork, they end up with information that’s:

The result? Major IT investments are made with no clear understanding of their climate consequences. That has to change.

Manufacturers Are Rising to the Challenge

Here’s the good news: more and more IT manufacturers are stepping up.

Across the industry, we’re seeing serious investments in internal Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) tools and structured carbon modelling systems. These are not marketing gimmicks — they’re deep, engineering-level integrations designed to generate accurate, product-specific carbon data, often down to the SKU level.

And this is something to celebrate.

These manufacturers are building the foundation for a smarter, more accountable supply chain. They’re showing that sustainability isn’t a sticker — it’s a system. A system that, when done right, supports better product design, transparent procurement, and credible reporting.

It’s proof that real change is not only possible — it’s already happening.

The Real Opportunity: Connecting the Chain

But this is only the beginning.

Because even the best carbon data is useless if it stays locked in internal reports or scattered across disconnected PDFs.

The next step is about delivery.


That data must move — cleanly, automatically, and securely — through the IT supply chain. From manufacturer, to distributor, to reseller, to end customer.

Just like price, lead time, and warranty information, carbon impact needs to flow in real time.

The model is already emerging:

No manual uploads. No annual summaries. Just structured, integrated data — when and where it’s needed.

This isn’t idealism. It’s supply chain modernisation.

The Stakes Are Rising — and So Are Expectations

As regulations tighten and customers grow more climate-literate, companies relying on generic estimates will find themselves exposed.

But this isn’t a threat. It’s an invitation.

Because those who act now — who demand better data, embrace automation, and drive collaboration — won’t just reduce emissions.

They’ll build trust, win more tenders, and shape the next era of sustainable IT.

Working Together, Smarter

This isn’t the job of one player — it’s a relay.

We each carry part of the responsibility — and the opportunity.

If we get this right, Scope 3 becomes a lever, not a liability.

A lever to redesign procurement.
A lever to reward low-impact innovation.
A lever to finally align IT with climate reality.

Closing the Gap

So, here’s the call to action:

Let’s close the carbon data gap.

Let’s treat emissions like the business-critical metric they are.

Let’s build a smarter, cleaner supply chain — together.

Because the hidden cost of IT is no longer hidden. It’s visible. And we have the tools to act on it.