Sustainability management solutions provider Optera announced today the launch of its Outreach module as part of its Supply Chain Manager solution, adding new capabilities aimed at helping companies to efficiently collect emissions data from suppliers.

The new capabilities come as companies globally face increasing regulatory pressure to report on their scope 3, or value chain, emissions, with emerging sustainability reporting standards including the EU’s CSRD and the IFRS’ ISSB standards requiring scope 3 disclosure. Scope 3 emissions are typically the most challenging to track and report as they occur in areas outside of the companies’ direct control.

Optera’s Supply Chain Manager leverages a database of over 10,000 supplier emissions disclosures to establish baseline coverage of a company’s Scope 3 footprint. According to the company, the new Outreach module enables teams to collaborate with their suppliers to fill in the remaining gaps.  

According to Optera, the module can be used for suppliers at a range of reporting readiness levels, with features allowing mature suppliers that have already calculated their carbon footprints to report facility-level emissions data, verification status and targets, helping mid-maturity suppliers to calculate Scope 1 and 2 emissions by inputting their energy consumption data, and enabling low-maturity suppliers to estimate emissions based on facility details and industry averages.

The launch of the new capabilities follows a $12 million capital raise last year by Optera, with proceeds from the financing aimed at enabling the company to expand its carbon accounting solutions and services to more mid-market and enterprise companies.

Tim Weiss, CEO and co-founder of Optera said:

“As the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions for many companies, supply chain emissions create massive risks and opportunities in transitioning to the low-carbon economy. Optera’s Outreach module enhances a company’s scope 3 data coverage, enabling comprehensive visibility across all levels of supplier maturity for setting science-based targets, identifying reduction levers, and engaging suppliers as true partners in sustainability efforts.”