The logistics industry is under increasing pressure to reduce its environmental impact, with climate action a growing priority for businesses, regulators, and customers alike. As sustainability expectations rise, transport companies need clear visibility into their emissions and seamless reporting capabilities to meet ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) commitments.
Why CO₂ Calculating Matters for Your Business
It’s no longer just a nice-to-have, it’s a business necessity. Customers, suppliers, and regulators now expect companies to calculate and disclose their CO₂ emissions as part of their commitment to greener operations.
And for businesses in the European Union, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), requires them to report their environmental impact, including emissions data. Non-compliance can lead to penalties and missed business opportunities, making accessible and accurate CO₂ calculating more important than ever.
How Qargo TMS helps you stay compliant and competitive
To help, Qargo has developed a new CO₂ emissions calculation feature that gives transport businesses the ability to calculate emissions and work towards meeting sustainability requirements while improving efficiency and transparency.
CO₂ emissions data is now visible at both the order and trip level, directly within our Transport Management System. This new feature integrates seamlessly into your daily operations, providing real-time visibility into CO₂ emissions at both the order and trip level.
It’s designed to make compliance and sustainability reporting simple, accurate, and efficient. However, it’s important to note that these figures are model-based estimates, and are not based on the actual route driven or fuel consumption. Emissions are calculated using the assumed route generated, leveraging modelled data from PTV during route calculation. Learn more about it here.
While this model is not compliant with CSRD reporting directly, it is possible to extract data that can then be used to complete any internal or external reporting requirements.
Key Features of Qargo’s CO₂ Calculating
1. CO₂ calculating at Order and Trip level
Qargo automatically calculates estimated CO₂ emissions for every trip, giving you a clear view of your environmental impact. This makes it easy to calculate and report emissions without manual effort.
2. Industry-standard GLEC calculation format
Our calculations follow the Global Logistics Emissions Council (GLECv3 ) framework, which uses the Well-to-Wheel (WtW) methodology, and the dataset used for calculations is according to ISO14083 standards.
WtW emissions assess the environmental impact of different fuels and technologies, and help identify the most environmentally sustainable options for mobility and energy.
Well-to-wheel (WtW): Emissions are the total greenhouse gas emissions produced at every stage of a fuel's life cycle, from extraction to use. This includes emissions from production, transportation, distribution, and use.
WtW calculations include:
Well to Tank (WtT): Emissions from extracting raw materials, refining them, and transporting them to fuelling stations
Tank to Wheel (TtW): Emissions from fuel consumption in the vehicle, also known as tailpipe emissions.
WTW = WTT + TTW
This structure enables both Scope 1 and Scope 3 reporting, as outlined in the GLEC framework:
For direct operations:
WTT = Scope 3
TTW = Scope 1
For subcontractor/supplier calculations:
WTW = Scope 3
3. Dynamic adjustments based on your fleet
The CO₂ calculation automatically adjusts based on the type of vehicle selected for routing. In an Order, it will use the default vehicle category or the configured transport service, ensuring your calculations are as accurate as possible. If you switch from a rigid truck to a tractor-trailer, for example, Qargo TMS dynamically updates the emissions figures accordingly.
Once the order is assigned to a specific asset the Trip may show different calculations if the assigned resource is larger or smaller than the default used. The route is based on the estimated road routing and does not represent actual route driven or fuel consumption. Intermodal connections, accompanied or unaccompanied, are not taken into account.
Calculations are based on the Order, not the Trips and as such it does not allocate emissions from Trips back to the Orders.
4. Effortless reporting for compliance & decision-making
You can generate custom CO₂ reports in just a few clicks. If you're already a Qargo customer, click here to learn how. This allows you to easily export emissions data for compliance reporting or to demonstrate your sustainability credentials to customers.
Reports can be configured to generate directly from Qargo TMS, or via BigQuery data if accessible. It is also possible to create a template report that can be used to export the order emissions.
Why choose Qargo for CO₂ Calculating?
Unlike standalone emissions calculators, our CO₂ calculations feature is fully integrated into our Transport Management System. This means:
✅ No need for external tools-the calculations are in-built to our TMS.
✅ Instant insights help you optimise routes for lower emissions and cost savings.
✅ Improvements to your ESG reporting.
✅ Enhance your reputation as a sustainable transport provider.
Future-proof your business with Qargo
As the industry moves towards stricter sustainability standards, businesses that proactively calculate and reduce emissions will gain a competitive advantage. Qargo is committed to helping transport companies stay ahead of the curve, providing the tools needed to navigate regulatory changes and build a greener future.
To see how Qargo’s CO₂ calculating can work for your business? Contact us today for a demo.
