Accurate carbon reporting is critical for construction firms aiming to meet sustainability targets.
However, many struggle with data gaps and inconsistencies that undermine efforts to track and reduce emissions effectively. The key issue? A reliance on outdated, manual processes and incomplete supply chain data.
The problem: carbon reporting without reliable data
Despite good intentions, many construction firms fall short in their reporting due to foundational weaknesses in data collection and standardisation. These persistent issues include:
- Fragmented supply chains – Thousands of suppliers and subcontractors operate with differing reporting capabilities.
- Lack of standardisation – Discrepancies exist across estimating, procurement, and site operations.
- Reliance on estimates – Instead of tracking actual material usage, carbon calculations often rely on industry averages or financial records.
Without a system that ensures consistent, auditable, and automated data capture, carbon reports will always be based on best guesses rather than real-world figures.
“We all want to make sure we've got transparency, we want to demonstrate improvement, we want to change our design and our purchasing practices in order to lower our carbon emissions.”
Katherine Rusack, Head of Responsible Sourcing, Balfour Beatty
The solution: CausewayOne Carbon – digital invoicing for carbon reporting
To close the data gap, construction firms need a method that reliably captures accurate, real-time carbon information from everyday transactions. CausewayOne Carbon achieves this by embedding carbon tracking into the invoicing process:
- Automated data capture – Digital invoicing platforms extract data directly from supplier invoices, including materials, quantities, and purchase details. This eliminates manual entry, reducing errors and saving time.
- Integration with carbon databases – Invoices link to Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and industry databases to assign accurate carbon factors. This ensures reported emissions reflect real supplier-specific data rather than generic estimates.
- Real-time visibility into carbon emissions – Contractors can track emissions as materials are purchased and used, rather than waiting for periodic sustainability reports. This enables proactive decision-making, helping teams identify carbon reduction opportunities before it’s too late.
Case study: uncovering hidden carbon inaccuracies
An example from a leading contractor illustrates how invoice-based reporting uncovers critical gaps hidden by traditional approaches. In this case:
- Two steel suppliers appeared to have similar carbon emissions on paper.
- However, deeper analysis revealed that one emitted significantly more carbon per tonne due to variations in production methods.
- The discrepancy arose because spend-based calculations failed to account for supplier-specific carbon performance.
*Note: this example is partly impacted by the two companies having different SIC codes attributed for the supply of the same product, highlighting the challenge with inconsistent carbon attribution as discussed in our earlier blog.
By adopting CausewayOne Carbon’s invoice-based reporting, the contractor gained the ability to track supplier-specific carbon data in real time, leading to more informed decisions and tangible carbon reductions.
The benefits of digital invoice-based carbon reporting
This approach doesn’t just improve accuracy – it also introduces a host of practical advantages that make sustainability goals more achievable:
- Greater accuracy – Uses actual purchased quantities, not estimates.
- Improved supplier accountability – Encourages transparency in carbon performance.
- Automation saves time – Reduces manual data collection and reporting errors.
- Supports compliance – Aligns with ESG reporting frameworks and carbon reduction commitments.
Bridging the gap in carbon reporting
Accurate carbon reporting has long been hindered by unreliable spend-based calculations and fragmented project-level data. While companies have attempted to improve sustainability tracking, inconsistencies in supply chain reporting continue to obscure true emissions figures.
As the industry moves toward net-zero goals, companies must move beyond manual reporting and unreliable estimates. With CausewayOne Carbon, construction firms move beyond unreliable estimates to precise, invoice-backed emissions data, ensuring transparency and accuracy throughout procurement, project execution, and reporting. This approach ensures a single, verifiable source of truth for carbon data – delivering accuracy, transparency, and meaningful emissions reductions.
Ready to take action?
If your company is still relying on estimates for carbon reporting, it’s time to upgrade to real-time, invoice-based tracking - request a demo of CausewayOne Carbon today.
