An Introduction to Scope 4 Emissions

For ITAM teams, sustainability is a core responsibility and opportunity. Managing hardware, software, and cloud resources now comes with the ability to track, reduce, and report carbon emissions. Understanding emission scopes—from direct operational emissions (Scope 1) to supply chain impacts (Scope 3)—is key to making informed decisions. These Scopes, defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, are the pre-eminent method for measuring environmental impact.

But now, the landscape is shifting. A newer concept, Scope 4 (avoided emissions), is gaining traction, particularly in IT, as organisations seek to quantify the emission reductions enabled by digital transformation, circular IT models, and efficiency-driven software. Whilst not part of the GHG Protocol (yet), Scope 4 provides compelling evidence to shore up support for environmental initiatives that may be under pressure from geopolitical events or budget constraints.

This article explores Scopes 1, 2, 3, and 4 with a particular focus on how ITAM professionals can apply these frameworks to reduce environmental impact and align IT asset strategies with corporate sustainability goals.