Normative launches the Carbon Network

“Carbon accounting is no longer a tick-box compliance exercise – it’s a reduction race.” says Normative CEO Kristian Rönn.

Companies across the globe have rushed to track carbon emissions to meet mandatory reporting legislation – but reporting alone doesn’t guarantee progress and incomplete data comes with high risks. It may lead to accusations of greenwashing and compliance failures, but it also prevents companies from meeting their net-zero targets. Ultimately, when carbon is not visible, emissions cannot be managed and reduced.

The latest addition to the Normative platform, the Carbon Network makes it possible for businesses to dive into their scope 3 emissions more comprehensively, connect with primary carbon data sources, and embed that data in their own systems and planning.

One of Normative’s customers, Kirsten Motyl Senior ESG Officer at The Pebble Group, recently spoke about the new feature: “Normative has greatly improved the way we engage our suppliers and collect emissions data. The simplicity of the supplier engagement module has made it easier to bring our suppliers into our net-zero journey, no matter how mature they are in their own climate work.”

The Carbon Network launch enables organisations to collect, work with and share supplier carbon data:

• Collect carbon data – The Normative Engage Module enables customers to scale data collection from suppliers and service providers that contribute to their value chain emissions. With these comprehensive insights, customers can strategically plan and implement reduction initiatives targeting scope 3.
• Work with carbon data – With dedicated Upload and Download APIs, customers can report frequently, get increasingly responsive carbon insights, and integrate sustainability insights into their existing business operations.
• Share carbon data – With Network Accounts, businesses can join the Carbon Network. Suppliers can upload their emissions data and other sustainability information to share with buyers, customers, and key stakeholders.

The Carbon Network is underpinned by Normative’s robust ecosystem of partners and vetted service providers, consultants, auditors, and data platforms, including:

• Flagship Strategic Partners – organisations like Nordea, PwC , and Zurich Insurance Group, that are driving decarbonisation throughout complex value chains.
• Carbon Removal Partners – Klimate, Patch, TimeCO₂, and other partners in the field that provide best-in-class climate investment services.
• ESG Platform Partnerships – companies like Novisto, among others, that are powering comprehensive ESG reporting with detailed carbon data and broad ESG metrics.

It enables businesses to access climate expertise customised to their region, industry, and unique sustainability ambitions. All of this makes it possible for businesses to source, analyse, share, audit, manage, and learn from each others’ carbon insights.

Access to carbon data at scale will bring huge opportunities for partners within Normative’s ecosystem to drive best-in-class carbon accounting capabilities for their clients and suppliers.

“As the groundswell of voluntary climate commitments develops into ground rules for a net-zero economy, businesses are seeking clarity on how to operate in an emerging governance landscape. The policy response, if managed and coordinated well, with strong international standardisation, will help reduce uncertainty for businesses. The first step is knowing where they start with their supply chains to identify opportunities for innovation as they step up to the greatest economic transition of our time.” comments Kaya Axelsson, Head of Policy and Partnerships at Oxford Net Zero.

Since 2014, Normative’s carbon calculation engine has delivered high-resolution carbon insights so businesses can understand where their emissions are coming from and determine where to focus reduction efforts. With the Carbon Network, stakeholders, experts, businesses, and others can collaborate on reporting, compliance, reduction initiatives, and moving the business world towards net-zero emissions.

“The carbon network makes it possible for everyone to see carbon,” said Normative CEO Kristian Rönn. “When we can see carbon, it’s no longer an ambiguous, overwhelming element floating in the atmosphere – it’s a concrete challenge that we can solve through collaboration and actionable carbon insights.”