Overview
Comparing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions across different years requires a process called rebaselining past profiles. This ensures that all profiles, including the base year, are updated with consistent methodologies, activity modules, and emission factors (EFs).
Important: Emissions will certainly vary after rebaselining. Always inform the client about potential changes and ensure they understand the process before making any modifications.
Key benefits / use cases
Accurate comparison: Compare emissions year-over-year using a consistent baseline.
Methodology alignment: Ensure that the base year uses the latest, most accurate methodologies and emission factors.
Consistency check: Maintain a clear and auditable record of changes for reporting.
Setting Your Base Year
Choose the base year
You must choose a base year which will be the reference year you’ll use to make comparisons after every new assessment.
Selection rule: The base year should ideally be the oldest year.
Best practice: Ensure the base year represents a normal business year for the company, without anything too out of the ordinary compared to other years.
Minimum data: If you only have 2 years, the base year is automatically the oldest year.
How to Rebaseline GHG Profiles in Admeenly
1. Ensure Module Consistency
It is crucial to use consistent activity modules across all years being compared.
Alignment: Check which modules were used previously and at least have them in the most recent GHG Assessment.
Additions: If the latest assessment includes additional activity modules, ideally you should also add them to the previous years and populate them as best you can.
2. Update Data
Activity-based data
Pro tip: Record the updates for each module to maintain a clear trail of changes.
Unfreeze Base Year Profile: In Admeenly, unfreeze the base year profile (and any other module you want to rebaseline) to allow modifications. This enables the update of activity modules and alignment of emission factors.
Add New Modules: If the client requests new modules for the base year, ensure these are added correctly.
Update Old Activity Modules: Identify old modules using outdated factors or methodologies (hypotheses/assumptions or spend-data) or with old formats (manual impacts, regular module when there is an end to end module available) and create new ones.
Lightweight or End-to-End Modules:
Export data, reformat it for the new structure, and replace the old module.
Also make sure that the PC / scope category allocation is the same.
Best practice: If your base year contains an Advanced module (e.g., Advanced version of the Freight module) and the current year has the end-to-end Freight module, then it’s best to align in the base year and use the end-to-end Freight module instead of the Advanced one.
Module check: If you are unsure if there were any changes in the module but keep the same type (e.g., you had the Lightweight Waste module and you’ll keep this one), best practice is to still download the data, add the module again on the profile, and re-upload the data on it. This will ensure you use the latest version of the module.
Advanced Modules: Align the module with updated methodologies and format. Ensure the same EFs are applied to both years. If newer EFs are more accurate, apply them retroactively to the base year. Also make sure that the PC / scope category allocation is the same.
Update General Emission Factors (EFs): In the unfrozen base year, under Admeenly > General, click on the button “Update Activities (except Buildings) Emission factors towards latest value”.
Important: Be careful, this will do the update for all unfrozen profiles.
Update Building EFs:
Under Admeenly > Activity Data, click on the button “Activities, Buildings & Employees” on the top right of your screen.
Select all buildings under the base year, then click the button “Refresh Selected Building Emissions”.
Important: If the client has over 100 buildings, please reach out to us for help, as you see the window maxes out at 100 buildings.
Update Employee Survey Methodology: Un-freeze the profile and use the “Recalculate employee survey impact” button.
Note: To properly compare emissions, previous v3.1 employee survey calculations should be updated to the v3.2 version. This update includes:
Emission factors that have been updated to latest values and are now country and methodology specific.
More granular and transparent calculation steps.
Updated extrapolation methods for missing data.
Spend-based data
Update Transaction EFs: In the unfrozen base year, under Admeenly > General, click on the button “Update Transaction Categorization & Emission factors towards latest value (applies to all non-frozen profiles”.
Important: Be careful, this will do the update for all unfrozen profiles.
Recategorize Expenses: Invite your client to recategorize base year expenses to match the current year categories (or do it yourself if you prefer).
Tip: It’s important to make sure that similar expenses have the same categories to make sure EFs match.
3. Evolution Review
Check for Variations: Track and flag variations between the recalculated base year and the current year. Identify differences in methodologies, activity data, or emission factors used. Use the evolution tool (My Emissions < Carbon Footprint < Year Over Year Emissions) to ensure consistency in categorization and alignment of data across the years.
Client Review: Present the evolution data to the client, explaining any differences due to real changes in activity or recalculated data. Make sure they understand how recalculations impact their YoY comparisons.
Adjustments: If any discrepancies arise, revisit the data and make corrections to ensure accurate recalculation. Document these adjustments clearly for reporting.
4. Report Generation
You can now generate a comparative report for the most recent year. Don’t forget to regenerate reports for every year that has been rebaselined with the latest emissions.
FAQs
Why is rebaselining necessary?
Why is rebaselining necessary?
Rebaselining is necessary to update past profiles, ensuring they use consistent data, methodologies, and emission factors for accurate year-over-year emissions comparisons.
What is the ideal choice for a base year?
What is the ideal choice for a base year?
The base year should ideally be the oldest year as long as it represents a normal business year for the company and doesn’t have anything too out of the ordinary compared to other years.
What should I do if the client has more than 100 buildings?
What should I do if the client has more than 100 buildings?
If the client has over 100 buildings, you should reach out for help, as the building selection window for refreshing building emissions maxes out at 100.