Scope 3 Emissions Project
Project Update - April 2025
We are excited to announce the completion of our Scope 3 Emissions Analysis and Planning Project. This project, sponsored by the Associate Vice President for Campus Sustainability, lays the groundwork for setting Scope 3 emissions targets by year-end.
After integrating community feedback, key outcomes include recommended actions to improve data quality, create tracking methodologies, and prioritize actions to address indirect emissions across our value chain. Learn more in this executive summary.
Looking ahead, we aim to establish targeted emission goals by the close of 2025, with ongoing efforts to enhance data precision and build the capacity needed for effective Scope 3 emissions reduction. We appreciate the community’s expertise and passion as we strive for meaningful and scalable impact on behalf of people and planet.
Analysis and Planning Project
The Scope 3 Emissions Analysis and Planning Project from mid-2024 to February 2025 laid the groundwork for U-M to fulfill its commitment to establishing Scope 3 goals by the end of 2025.
In partnership with Buro Happold Consulting, the project:
- Performed a gap analysis of U-M’s Scope 3 data and sequenced steps to improve
the data - Developed a methodology and strategy for ongoing Scope 3 inventory tracking
- Engaged 350+ U-M community members to understand their priorities
- Defined strategies for ongoing Scope 3 management and impact
Learn more in this executive summary.
Building on Past Efforts
This effort builds on past efforts to quantify U-M’s Scope 3 emissions and identify how to mitigate them, including:
- President’s Commission on Carbon Neutrality (PCCN) Internal Analysis Team reports on carbon accounting, university-sponsored travel, food, and commuting.
- Scope 3 Purchased Goods and Services Footprinting
- Michigan Athletics Scope 3 Analysis
Project Team and Leadership
Sponsor: Shana Weber, Associate Vice President for Campus Sustainability
Project Manager: Katrina Folsom, Office of Campus Sustainability
Project Team:
Anya Dale, Office of Campus Sustainability Campus-as-Lab Manager
Ken Keeler, Office of Campus Sustainability Lead Sustainability Analyst
Amanda Jarson, Project Coordinator
Advisory Council:
Janet Abbruzzese, U-M Health Chief Supply Chain Officer
Chip Amoe, U-M Health Sustainability Officer
Andy Berki, Office of Campus Sustainability Executive Director
Alex Bryan, Student Life Director of Sustainability
Tony Denton, U-M Health, Senior VP and Chief ESG Officer
Shoshannah Lenski, Center for Sustainable Systems Associate Director
Geoff Lewis, Center for Sustainable Systems Research Specialist
Benjamin Morse, Office of Campus Sustainability Director of Strategy
Ashley Ouendag, Procurement Services Procurement Operations Manager
Sachi Patil, Student Representative, SEAS MS
Tally Thrasher, AVP and Chief Procurement Officer, Procurement Services
What are Scope 3 Emissions?
Scope 3 emissions are the indirect greenhouse gas emissions resulting from a university’s activities that are not directly controlled by the university. These include emissions from purchased goods and services, university-sponsored travel, commuting, waste disposal, and others across 15 categories. Because these emissions come from diverse and indirect sources, they are often the hardest to measure and reduce.
Engagement Opportunities
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