What is Scope 3 Category 9: Downstream transportation and distribution?
Category 9 covers third-party Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions from transport, storage and retail after product sale. It includes freight in assets you do not own or control. See where it sits within Scope 3 emissions.
Why does Scope 3 Category 9 matter to you?
CDP 2026 Question 7.8 asks for gross global Scope 3 emissions and explanations for exclusions. A customer may ask for your Category 9 total, method and records. Putting customer-paid freight in Category 4 can double count it; omitting post-sale storage can understate it.
How is Scope 3 Category 9 calculated?
For transport, use carrier fuel when available. Otherwise, multiply the shipment's tonnes by its kilometres and a factor for the transport mode; use spend only as a fallback. Allocate storage and retail energy by floor area, volume or time. For an intermediate product, count transport to the end consumer when its eventual use is known, or to the business customer when it is not.
What mistakes should you avoid?
- Including outbound freight your company buys; that service belongs in Category 4.
- Counting fuel from vehicles your company owns or controls here instead of Scope 1.
- Using sales revenue as freight spend, or applying one distance to every customer without recording the estimate.
Is Category 9 the same as Category 4?
No. Category 4 includes transport services your company purchases, including paid outbound delivery. Category 9 includes post-sale transport and distribution purchased by another party.
Does Category 9 cover every freight-forwarding service?
No. Tie the calculation to products sold and identify who purchased each transport leg. If your company buys the carrier service, that leg is Category 4.
What records should you collect?
Keep the period, products sold, tonnes, destinations, transport legs, modes, kilometres, carrier fuel, load share, storage days, allocation method and factor source.