California SB 253: Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act·Disclosure SB253-METHODOLOGY
GHG Protocol methodology and reporting basis
Guide pratique pour préparer cette information. Utilisez cette fiche pour identifier les données à préparer, vérifier les affirmations et organiser les preuves. Pour les exigences exactes, reportez-vous toujours à la source officielle CARB.
Passeport publié
Révision en attenteNorme
California SB 253: Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act
Disclosure SB253-METHODOLOGY · 2026-initial-regulation-as-amended-sb219
Dernière révision
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Support pédagogique LRA · Non publié ni approuvé par CARB
Objet de l’information
This disclosure asks an organisation to explain the greenhouse gas accounting approach it uses and the basis on which it prepares its emissions figures. In practice, that means being clear about the framework, boundaries and assumptions behind the numbers so a reader can understand what is included, what is left out, and how the reported totals were built.
The practical focus is on comparability and coverage: whether the reporting covers the organisation’s full operations or only selected parts, and how emissions are treated across the relevant sources and activities. The aim is to make the reported data understandable and traceable, rather than presenting headline figures without the method behind them.
Ce support pédagogique LRA aide à préparer l’information. Pour les exigences exactes, reportez-vous toujours à la source officielle CARB.
Avant de commencer
Avant de commencer
Une courte liste de contrôle avant de préparer cette information — cochez chaque point une fois réglé.
Préparation
Informations clés à préparer
| Champ à préparer | Ce qu’il faut recueillir | Indice de preuve | Responsable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reference year | State which earlier reporting year is being used as the comparison point or base for the current disclosure. | Prior-year emissions schedule, reporting pack, or methodology note showing the chosen reference year. | Sustainability reporting / ESG data owner |
| Corporate accounting standard | Confirm the named corporate emissions accounting framework used to prepare the organisation-wide inventory. | Methodology document, reporting policy, or assurance pack naming the framework used for the corporate inventory. | Sustainability reporting / ESG data owner |
| Protocol alignment check | Record whether the reporting approach follows the relevant emissions protocol and guidance, and capture the yes/no position used for disclosure. | Methodology memo, internal sign-off, or assurance checklist confirming the stated alignment position. | Sustainability reporting / ESG data owner |
| Method changes | Describe any changes in calculation approach, data sources, boundary treatment, or assumptions compared with the last report. | Change log, methodology comparison note, or prior-year reporting pack with tracked updates. | Sustainability reporting / ESG data owner |
| Operational boundary | Explain how the reporting perimeter is set for activities and emissions sources included in the inventory. | Boundary memo, control assessment, or reporting policy showing how included operations are determined. | Sustainability reporting / ESG data owner |
| Group boundary method | Set out the rule used to decide which entities or interests are counted within the organisation for reporting. | Consolidation policy, legal entity list, or group structure paper showing the boundary rule applied. | Finance / consolidation team |
| Scope 3 framework | Confirm the value-chain emissions framework used for indirect emissions outside the organisation’s direct operations. | Methodology note, inventory workbook, or assurance pack naming the scope 3 framework used. | Sustainability reporting / ESG data owner |
Comment le préparer
Demander les données
Request the emissions method and reporting basis pack
Traduisez l’information en une question métier interne, puis adaptez-la au vocabulaire de votre organisation.
Which emissions method, boundary choices, and comparison basis were used for the latest inventory, and what changed from the prior submission?
Use your organisation’s own terms first, then map them to the reporting labels in the pack. For example, if your team says ‘inventory year’, ‘group boundary’, or ‘value chain method’, keep that language in the request and only translate it at the end for reporting review. This is a possible LRA training template; adapt it to your organisation and check the source material before sign-off.
Demande faible
Please provide the GHG Protocol methodology, organisational boundary, operational boundary, Scope 3 standard use, and conformance statement for the disclosure.
Pourquoi elle échoue : This is too close to framework language and does not tell the owner what practical records to pull. It also mixes reporting labels without anchoring them to the team’s own working terms, which makes it harder to answer quickly and consistently.
Meilleure demande
Please send the emissions method pack for [period]: the comparison year or base year, how the group boundary was set, how the operational boundary was set, the method used for value chain emissions, whether the inventory follows the GHG Protocol standards and guidance, whether the corporate accounting and reporting standard was used, and what changed since the last report. Use your team’s normal wording in the first pass, then we will map it for reporting review.
Modèle d’e-mail formel
Subject: Request for emissions method and reporting basis details Hi [Name], Could you please send over the evidence pack for the latest emissions inventory, including the method used, the boundary approach, the comparison year or base year, and any changes since the last submission? Please include: - the reporting period covered - the comparison year or base year used - the approach used to define the group boundary - the approach used to define the operational boundary - the method used for value chain emissions - whether the inventory follows the GHG Protocol standards and guidance - whether the corporate accounting and reporting standard was used - any changes made since the prior report - the source file or system reference Please use your team’s usual wording where helpful, then we can map it for reporting review. This is a possible LRA training template, so please adapt it to your organisation and check the source material before sign-off. Thanks, [Your name]
Version courte pour Teams / Slack
Hi [Name] — could you share the emissions method pack for [period]? Please include the comparison year/base year, boundary approach, value chain method, any changes since last time, and the source file/system. Use your team’s usual terms first; we can map them for reporting review. Please adapt to your organisation and check the source material before sign-off.
Exemples sectoriels
Manufacturing
Contexte. A plant-based group with central sustainability reporting and local EHS input.
Demande adaptée. Hi [Name] — for [period], please share the inventory method pack for the plants and shared sites: the comparison year/base year, how the group boundary was set, how the site boundary was set, the method used for supplier and downstream estimates, any changes since last year, and the source workbook or system. Please use your normal site and group terms first, then we can map them for reporting review. This is a possible LRA training template; adapt it to your organisation and check the source material before sign-off.
Exemple de réponse. We used FY2023 as the comparison year. Group boundary was set using the control approach. Site boundary covered owned and operated facilities plus leased warehouses. Value chain emissions used a screening method with supplier estimates. Changes since last year: updated electricity and freight factors. Source: Inventory_Master_FY2024.xlsx.
Financial services
Contexte. A corporate reporting team coordinating with operations, procurement, and a data platform team.
Demande adaptée. Hi [Name] — please send the emissions method pack for [period] covering the group boundary, operational boundary, comparison year/base year, and the method used for financed and other value chain categories in the inventory model. Also include any changes from the prior report and the source model or data extract. Use your team’s usual wording first, then we can map it for reporting review. This is a possible LRA training template; adapt it to your organisation and check the source material before sign-off.
Exemple de réponse. Comparison year: FY2023. Group boundary: control approach. Operational boundary: direct operations and selected leased assets. Value chain method: portfolio screening plus supplier estimates where available. Changes: revised data source for purchased services. Source: GHG_Model_Q4_2024.
Rédigez votre information
Des notes qui transforment les données en information publiée
Modèles pédagogiques LRA — adaptez-les à votre organisation et vérifiez la source officielle avant validation.
Note méthodologique
State the reference year, the accounting approach used, the boundary choices applied to the organisation and operations, the framework used for the main inventory and the separate framework used for value-chain emissions, and whether the approach follows the relevant guidance.
Note de contexte
Explain that these settings define the basis on which the emissions figures were prepared, so readers can understand what the numbers cover and how they should be compared with earlier reporting.
Déclaration sur les variations
If the figures move because the reporting approach changed, say which parts of the method were updated and note that the shift may affect comparability with the prior period.
Entrée de l’index de contenu
SB253-METHODOLOGY GHG Protocol methodology and reporting basis — [location / page] / [notes]Centre de téléchargement
Outils et formulaires de préparation
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Préparation à l’assurance
Pour chaque affirmation, vérifiez les preuves
| Affirmation | Risque | Preuves à vérifier |
|---|---|---|
| We used the immediately preceding financial year as the reference period for the figure. | The assurer will check whether the period is the correct one, whether it is clearly identified, and whether the same period is used consistently across the disclosure. | Board or management-approved reporting timetable; draft and final disclosure showing the named period; internal reporting pack or inventory file covering that period; sign-off notes confirming the period choice. |
| We prepared the disclosure using the company-wide emissions accounting framework we say we follow. | The assurer will probe whether the named framework was actually applied, whether the team understood it, and whether the disclosure is not relying on an informal or partial approach. | Methodology memo; inventory procedures; working papers showing application of the framework; reviewer sign-off; any gap log where the framework was mapped to internal data processes. |
| We have stated that our approach follows the relevant greenhouse gas protocol guidance. | The assurer will test whether the claim of alignment is supported by the actual calculation approach, source data treatment, and any departures or limitations. | Cross-reference matrix between the disclosure and the protocol guidance used internally; calculation files; documented judgments; exception log; evidence of review by the preparer and checker. |
| Where our approach changed from the earlier report, we documented the differences before publication. | The assurer will look for whether changes were identified, whether their effect on the figure was considered, and whether the disclosure explains the change clearly enough to avoid misleading comparisons. | Change log versus the prior submission; version history; comparison of old and new methods; internal approval notes; reconciliation showing the effect of the change, if any. |
| We set out the boundary approach we used so readers can see what was included in the inventory. | The assurer will check whether the boundary choice is explicit, applied consistently, and supported by the underlying consolidation or control logic. | Boundary policy; group structure chart; list of included and excluded entities or operations; control assessment papers; working papers showing how the boundary was applied. |
| We also explained how we defined the reporting group for the inventory. | The assurer will probe whether the organisational perimeter is coherent, consistently applied, and aligned to the data collected for the disclosed figure. | Entity inclusion schedule; ownership or control analysis; consolidation memo; legal entity register; evidence that the same perimeter was used in the calculations. |
Dossier de preuves à préparer
Lacunes fréquentes dans les rapports
Lacunes fréquentes
Erreurs à éviter lors de la collecte des données
Là où un jugement professionnel est souvent nécessaire
Exemples
Exemples illustratifs
Synthétiques, rédigés par LRA — ils ne proviennent ni d’un rapport d’entreprise ni du texte d’une norme.
We set our reporting against the 2023 fiscal year as the base period, and we say our approach follows the GHG Protocol corporate reporting framework and its value-chain companion guidance. Our boundary approach is operational control, and we confirm that our method is aligned with those GHG Protocol materials; compared with the prior filing, we changed only the way we allocate a small number of leased assets, with no change to the overall boundary approach or the base year. - Prior period used for comparison: 2023 fiscal year; - Main reporting framework applied: GHG Protocol corporate reporting standard; - Value-chain emissions guidance applied: GHG Protocol Scope 3 guidance; - Alignment statement: yes, we say our method is consistent with the GHG Protocol materials; - Boundary choices: operational control for the company boundary; - Changes since last report: a limited update to leased-asset allocation, with the rest unchanged.
Synthetic example for practitioner review only. It shows how a company might describe its base period, framework use, alignment statement, boundary choices, and any changes from the previous report without naming the organisation.
Our comparison year is 2022, and we prepared the disclosure using the GHG Protocol corporate reporting framework together with the value-chain emissions guidance. We apply a financial-control boundary for the group, and we state that our reporting is consistent with the GHG Protocol materials; since the last report, we revised the treatment of a small set of franchised sites, while keeping the comparison year and the overall method in place. - Reference year: 2022; - Framework for company emissions: GHG Protocol corporate reporting standard; - Value-chain emissions guidance: GHG Protocol Scope 3 guidance; - Consistency statement: yes; - Boundary approach: financial control; - Method updates since the prior filing: revised treatment of a limited number of franchised sites only.
Synthetic example for practitioner review only. It demonstrates a different sector, a different base year, a different boundary approach, and a different kind of methodology update while still covering the same required datapoints.
Rapports d’entreprises
Comment les entreprises publient SB253-METHODOLOGY en pratique
Exemples de pratiques de publication complètes et partielles. Ce sont des analyses fondées sur des preuves, non des modèles à recopier.
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Scénarios à travailler
A group prepares its first California emissions filing after a merger completed mid-year. The team has one consolidated ledger for the new group, but the prior year figures sit in two legacy systems and were not restated.
A sustainability team has been using a market-based emissions tool built for internal dashboards, but the California filing needs a method that aligns with the GHG Protocol corporate accounting and reporting framework. The draft currently says only that the numbers are “prepared using internal methodology.”
A company has always reported under an equity-share approach, but this year it changed to a control-based approach because it now manages most operating decisions in its subsidiaries. The draft filing mentions the new approach but does not say whether the change affects comparability with last year.
A preparer is compiling Scope 3 data from suppliers, logistics providers and product-use estimates. The team has a general emissions policy, but the draft does not say whether the value-chain standard was used or whether the calculations follow the same recognised guidance throughout.
Références au référentiel
Exigences California applicables et informations connexes
Références disponibles du référentiel et informations voisines utiles à la préparation de cette exigence.
California
SB253-METHODOLOGY
au sein de California SB 253 : Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act
Connexes et exploration
Plus dans California SB 253 → Parcourir le catalogue complet → Accueil de la Bibliothèque des informations → Rechercher dans toutes les informations →
FAQ
Questions auxquelles cette page répond
The page says to prepare seven core datapoints: reference year, corporate accounting standard, protocol alignment check, method changes, operational boundary, group boundary method, and the Scope 3 framework. Use those as your starting checklist before you draft anything.
Use it as a working sequence for getting the disclosure ready rather than as a final answer key. The page is designed to help you move from scoping and data collection through to a draft output and an evidence pack.
The page flags both items as datapoints to prepare, so you should confirm which accounting standard you are using and whether your reporting approach aligns with the relevant protocol. Keep the check documented so the method is clear in the draft and in the evidence pack.
The page treats both as method choices you need to set out before drafting. Record the boundary approach you used and keep the rationale in your working papers so the disclosure can be traced back to the source data.
Method changes are one of the datapoints to prepare, so you should identify any changes and capture them clearly in the draft. The page also points you to the evidence pack, which is where you would keep support for those changes.
The page includes an evidence pack with five items to support assurance readiness. Use it to assemble the documents and working papers that back up the disclosure before review or assurance.
The page says there are six assurance claims to verify, each with a claim, risk and evidence angle. Use that list to check what could go wrong and what proof you need before the disclosure is signed off.
The page includes a list of common reporting gaps and mistakes, so use it as a pre-submission check. It is there to help you spot missing method detail, weak evidence or other avoidable issues before the draft is finalised.
The page has a draft-output section with visualisation ideas, narrative starters and a content-index line. Use those as building blocks to turn your prepared data and method notes into a first draft.
The Download Centre provides a Prep & Assurance workbook in .xlsx format and a printable Library Card in .pdf format. Use the workbook to organise preparation and assurance work, and the PDF as a quick reference while you draft.
The page notes ESRS E1 (Climate Change) as the closest correspondence, so some data may be reusable across both. Treat that as a practical cross-reference, not as a statement that the requirements are identical.
Autres questions auxquelles cette page peut aider
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