By adopting the Common Data Framework, DFI Retail Group strategically shifted its approach to measuring Scope 3 emissions by focusing data collection on high-impact commodities: rice, coffee, dairy, and beef. To overcome the challenge of capturing reliable primary data across Asia, they partnered with a specialised data platform to calculate product carbon footprints (PCFs). By engaging key suppliers, the group replaced broad assumptions with consistent, supplier-specific data, establishing a transparent foundation to drive data-driven decarbonisation.

DFI Retail Group is a leading pan-Asian retailer operating over 7000 retail outlets, including supermarkets, convenience stores, health and beauty and home furnishing. Managing a diverse supply chain across multiple Asian markets, tracking the environmental footprint of their extensive product range present significant complexities.

Early foundational efforts to measure Scope 3 emissions provided a basis to support prioritisation of actions. DFI was able to identify key priorities and develop carbon reduction actions, but the measurement approach was constrained as it did not provide comparability over time. The heavy reliance on generic, static industry-average emission factors also meant the metrics did not reflect DFI’s specific operating context in Asia.

At the same time, the varying sustainability readiness and limited understanding across their diverse supplier base made securing reliable, primary data consistent with international frameworks incredibly difficult.

To support targeted supplier engagement, DFI Retail Group used the Common Data Framework to identify clear decision use-cases and apply proportionate data collection efforts. They used foundational questions to get started:

• Where can we focus to deliver impact? Prioritise key action areas based on materiality to deliver climate actions.
• What is my organisation ready for? Focused approach to supplier engagement and collaboration.

DFI prioritised four key categories: rice, coffee, dairy, and beef and engaged priority suppliers through structured onboarding and guidance to accommodate different levels of readiness. They also used a data platform provider to estimate and improve product carbon footprints for these key commodities and refine based on actual supplier data availability.

By referencing the CDF’s transitional roadmap towards granular, product-level emissions insights, DFI Retail Group is progressively transforming its data collection strategy.

• Supplier Engagement: Engaged 30 key suppliers across the four priority commodity categories as the first phase.
• Data Accuracy: Replaced generic assumptions through more specific inputs from suppliers, tailored to suppliers’ data maturity
• Strategic Capability: Strengthened the group’s ability to measure impacts from decarbonisation efforts.

Key Learning: Focusing data collection on high-impact categories ensures the most important decarbonisation efforts are captured in DFI’s emissions accounting.