UBC Sauder champions climate leadership with student-led solutions for scope 3 emissions

Like most businesses that have achieved carbon neutrality, UBC Sauder School of Business has offset its emissions by purchasing high-quality carbon credits. However, achieving true sustainability means going beyond offsets—especially when it comes to Scope 3 emissions, which account for the majority of UBC Sauder’s carbon footprint. 

To tackle this challenge, the Centre for Climate and Business Solutions (CCBS) partnered with the Commerce Undergraduate Society (CUS) to launch ‘Chasing Net Negative’, its first-ever case competition, inviting students to develop actionable solutions to measure, manage, and mitigate Scope 3 emissions. This initiative reflects UBC Sauder’s commitment to climate leadership by engaging students directly in solving real-world sustainability challenges. 
 

Understanding Scope 3 emissions 

While UBC Sauder actively tracks and offsets its Scope 1 (direct emissions) and Scope 2 (indirect energy-related emissions), Scope 3 emissions—those generated from commuting, business travel, purchased goods and services, waste and more—remain complex and difficult to address. In fact, Scope 3 emissions make up over 5,000 tonnes of CO2e annually, accounting for more than 80% of UBC Sauder’s total emissions. 

Recognizing the importance of tackling these emissions, UBC Sauder has become a carbon-neutral business school by investing in offset projects. However, students are now leading the charge to explore innovative solutions that go beyond offsets and integrate emissions reductions into the school’s operations and supply chain. 

“What began as a fun project to learn more about sustainability became something much more meaningful,” says Ferdinand Sunarja, a fifth-year UBC BCom student specializing in accounting with a concentration in sustainability and social impact. “Being able to apply our ideas to influence how UBC Sauder manages its emissions made all the difference. This competition challenged us to develop a real solution—one that will drive real impact.” 
 

The case challenge: offsets vs. inset solutions 

In this case competition, students are tasked with analyzing UBC Sauder’s Scope 3 emissions profile and recommending either an offset project (investing in external projects such as reforestation or renewable energy) or an inset project (implementing emissions reduction initiatives within UBC Sauder’s own operations or value chain). 

“Scope 3 emissions are a significant challenge to tackle,” says Moira Renata, a fifth year UBC student pursuing her Bachelor of Science. “By starting small and focusing on in-house solutions—like addressing procurement—we can take on specific challenges, test solutions, and scale them up. Beginning with CUS, we hope to expand our impact to UBC Sauder as a whole.” 

To develop their recommendations, students will evaluate various factors, including: 

• Environmental impact: How effective the project is in reducing emissions 
• Alignment with UBC Sauder’s values: How the project supports sustainability, community impact and responsible business leadership 
• Financial feasibility: Whether the project cost-effective or has potential funding sources 
• Additional benefits: How the project support biodiversity, community development or innovation in sustainability 
   

The winning solution 

After a week of research and analysis, student teams presented their final recommendations to a panel of judges. Each team was tasked with selecting either an offset or inset approach to reducing UBC Sauder’s carbon footprint. An offset project involves purchasing carbon credits to compensate for emissions, while an inset project invests directly in internal initiatives to lower emissions at the source. 

The winning proposal focused on an inset approach, advocating for a more sustainable supply chain through a phased implementation of a data-driven procurement platform. This platform would track CO₂e emissions associated with purchases, automatically flagging high-emission items for review and suggesting lower-carbon alternatives where feasible.  

"Sustainability isn't just a business challenge—it requires a holistic approach that considers social, environmental, and economic impacts,” says the competition’s winning team. “Coming from diverse backgrounds like environmental engineering and accounting, we saw firsthand how tackling these issues from multiple perspectives made the problem more tangible and helped us develop more effective, well-rounded solutions.” 

A key component of their strategy was the creation of a Circular Economy Exchange, a campus-wide initiative that encourages departments and campus groups to repurpose surplus items before purchasing new ones. By enforcing low-carbon procurement practices and integrating circularity through initiatives like the Circular Economy Exchange, this proposal offers a strategic, long-term solution to reducing emissions from purchased goods and services at UBC Sauder. 
 

Bringing up a new generation of climate leaders 

This competition is more than an academic exercise. It’s an opportunity for students to drive change. Their recommendations have the potential to inform UBC Sauder’s sustainability strategy and set a precedent for how business schools and corporations can address Scope 3 emissions.

The future of business is sustainable, and these students are proving that the next generation is ready to lead. 

“We often talk about business being a force for good,” adds Sunarja. “This competition is a great example of how we can apply business skills to climate action in a meaningful way.”