Carbon footprint
How we measure Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions for Corp-Merch.IT Italy operations and what we do to reduce them.
Measurement methodology
We follow the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard. Scope 1 covers direct combustion at owned offices and any fleet (zero — we have no fleet in Italy). Scope 2 covers purchased electricity for offices and warehouses (location-based and market-based). Scope 3 covers purchased goods (category 1), freight (categories 4 and 9), business travel (category 6) and end-of-life of sold products (category 12). For products we use partner-specific EPDs where available and Ecoinvent / IDEMAT as fallback.
Lifecycle assessment of a typical bundle
A standard onboarding bundle (T-shirt, notebook, bottle, tote, pen) has a cradle-to-customer footprint of approximately 4.8 kgCO2e. The breakdown: raw-material extraction 51%, manufacturing 22%, decoration (print/embroidery) 6%, freight to Italy warehouse 11%, last-mile delivery to office 7%, packaging 3%. Switching to rPET textile and recycled-content bottle drops the figure to about 3.4 kgCO2e — a 29% reduction.
Reduction roadmap and offsetting
Our Italy roadmap to 2030: 100% renewable electricity at the local warehouse (achieved 2025); 60% recycled-content textile by 2027; 80% by 2030. Remaining residual emissions are offset through verified Gold Standard or Verra projects with co-benefits (community, biodiversity). We publish the underlying calculator on request — eligible for inclusion in your own Scope 3 cat. 1 inventory.
FAQ
Do you sell carbon-neutral products?
We offer a carbon-neutral SKU line where residual emissions are offset 1:1. The base footprint is what we work to reduce; offsets are the last step, not the first.
What boundary do you use for Scope 3?
Operational control. We include freight, business travel, and purchased goods where supplier data is available.
How accurate is the per-product number?
±15% for textile and ±10% for hard goods, based on uncertainty propagation of the LCA inputs. We disclose the uncertainty range on enterprise quotes.
Can I get a product-level EPD?
Yes for SKUs with EPDs at the supplier level; otherwise we share an EPD-style data sheet with our calculation.
Where do offsets come from?
Predominantly cookstove and forestry projects under Gold Standard / Verra. We avoid avoidance-only credits older than 3 years.