WBCSD-PACT and RMI launch new resources to transform supplier engagement for Scope 3 decarbonization
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Geneva/ Boulder, 24 June 2025 — The Partnership for Carbon Transparency (PACT), and non-partisan energy solutions non-profit RMI today unveiled two complementary publications that put supplier engagement at the center of corporate climate strategy:
- “Incentivizing Product-Carbon-Footprint Exchange Across Supply Chains”, a WBCSD-PACT White Paper co-authored with RMI
- “Accelerating Supply Chain Decarbonization: A Corporate Guide for Smarter Actions”, RMI’s new playbook for sustainability and procurement teams
From data transparency to impact: the PACT white paper
The White Paper maps a three-step pathway for companies ready to act on supplier emissions: secure senior leadership sponsorship, adopt distributed governance, and embed product carbon footprint (PCF) exchange into every contracting decision.
“Data transparency is vital, but it becomes transformative only when buyers and suppliers tackle decarbonization side-by-side,” notes Naama Avni-Kadosh, Director of PACT, WBCSD. “This White Paper shows how internal momentum, from C-suite KPIs to cross-functional governance — turns product-level carbon data into joint action.”
Corporate guide turns segmentation into strategy
RMI’s new guide zooms in on the “how” of supplier segmentation. It categorizes partners into 'Innovation', 'Intervention', 'Compliance' and 'De-prioritized' groups, then matches each with the right blend of incentives, penalties, and capacity-building support.
Josh Henretig, Managing Director of RMI’s Climate Intelligence Program, explains, Decarbonizing supply chains is both urgent and complex, particularly in high-emitting industrial sectors that are critical to a climate-aligned future. While climate pledges have multiplied, companies now face the challenge of translating these commitments into procurement strategies that shift markets and catalyze demand for low-emission products.”
PACT and RMI have developed these resources in a collaborative process, with the goal of providing corporations with immediate tools to drive supply chain decarbonization.
One of our partners Together for Sustainability noted, “Addressing Scope 3 decarbonization is challenging and requires resources and tools to help corporate buyers understand priorities and work effectively with their suppliers. TfS is glad to have collaborated with RMI to provide critical insights that support the chemical sector in advancing toward its decarbonization targets.”
Five shared principles for supplier-led decarbonization
- Lead from the inside out: Senior sponsorship, climate-linked KPIs, and distributed governance are prerequisites for credible programs.
- Segment, then strategize: A single matrix aligns intervention type with supplier impact and maturity.
- Match incentives to ambition: From green-premium offtake to milestone payments, carrots and sticks must be tiered.
- Use PCF data as a bridge, not a bottleneck: Interoperability lets companies act now and refine accuracy over time.
- Turn procurement into a climate lever: Integrating carbon pricing, low-carbon sourcing criteria and long-term contracts drives change beyond tier-1 suppliers.
For more information, contact pact@wbcsd.org or media@rmi.org
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