SUPPLIER CASCADE

The Supplier Cascade is a framework developed by the We Mean Business Coalition and partners to address the difficulty of tracking and reducing Scope 3 emissions, which often exceed 70% of a company's carbon footprint. It encourages companies to focus on their direct relationship with Tier 1 suppliers, asking them to set science-based targets, report progress annually, and require their own Tier 1 suppliers to do the same, creating a 'domino effect' of climate action. The guide outlines specific requirements for implementation, ranging from voluntary asks to best practices involving the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and the SME Climate Hub, while emphasizing that the approach is designed to be scalable and manageable for procurement teams without requiring deep technical knowledge.

• Scope 3 emissions typically represent the majority of a company's carbon footprint, yet corporate engagement and reporting on these emissions remain low. According to CDP data, only 41% of reporting companies have reported Scope 3 emissions, 39% have engaged suppliers on climate issues, and a negligible 0.04% require suppliers to set science-based targets.
• The Supplier Cascade operates through three primary requirements for businesses: asking Tier 1 suppliers to set science-aligned reduction targets, requiring those suppliers to cascade the same request to their own Tier 1 suppliers, and ensuring annual reporting on targets and supplier action.
• Implementation best practices differ by company size: larger companies are encouraged to set targets through the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), while small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) should use the SME Climate Hub. A key performance indicator for success is ensuring the majority of Tier 1 suppliers by spend have set targets and initiated their own cascade within two years.
• The framework specifically targets upstream supplier emissions. Companies are advised to use the GHG Protocol Scope 3 Standard for high-level screening to identify material emission sources and must employ separate mitigating strategies for downstream or land-based emissions not covered by the cascade.

APA

We Mean Business Coalition (n.d.). SUPPLIER CASCADE. https://www.wemeanbusinesscoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Supplier-Cascade-Explainer_updated_August-24.pdf

Chicago

We Mean Business Coalition. SUPPLIER CASCADE. n.d. https://www.wemeanbusinesscoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Supplier-Cascade-Explainer_updated_August-24.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=We Mean Business Coalition |title=SUPPLIER CASCADE |url=https://www.wemeanbusinesscoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Supplier-Cascade-Explainer_updated_August-24.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wemeanbusinesscoalitionndsupplier, author = {{We Mean Business Coalition}}, title = {{SUPPLIER CASCADE}}, institution = {We Mean Business Coalition}, url = {https://www.wemeanbusinesscoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Supplier-Cascade-Explainer_updated_August-24.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }