Summary
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Details
- Global
The GLEC Framework can be used by shippers, carriers, and logistics service providers to calculate and report freight emissions consistently across modes, geographies, and partners—especially where companies need comparable data for procurement, performance tracking, and value-chain reporting.
Deep dive
Introduction
The GLEC Framework is an industry-led guidance document developed by the Global Logistics Emissions Council (GLEC), a Smart Freight Centre (SFC) program established in 2014 as a community of organizations and NGOs working to standardize and scale transparent logistics emissions reporting.
First published in 2016, the Framework brings together concepts and learnings from leading methods for quantifying GHG emissions from freight transport. After industry demand for an international standard, work began in 2019 on an ISO standard building on the GLEC Framework, culminating in ISO 14083 (published March 2023). GLEC Framework v3.x then integrated ISO 14083 provisions back into the Framework.
What the GLEC Framework asks
At its core, the GLEC Framework asks organizations to calculate and report GHG emissions for freight transport systems, chains, and operations in a way that is consistent across modes and supply-chain partners. It is designed as an accessible route to ISO 14083–compliant emissions calculation and reporting.
In practice, users are expected to:
Define the transport chain being assessed (shipments/legs and relevant actors), then calculate emissions per transport chain using the Framework’s approach.
Cover more than vehicle movement: the Framework explicitly includes emissions from logistics hubs and from the energy supply that supports transport and hubs, aligning with ISO 14083 concepts.
Prepare emissions outputs for credible reporting: the Framework highlights the role of third-party assurance to build trust, and positions GLEC-based reporting as verification-ready for assurance providers.
Map to common corporate reporting needs (e.g., value-chain accounting), where logistics emissions often appear in purchased transport and distribution categories.
Current Status & Outlook
The latest update is GLEC Framework v3.1, released in October 2024, described as fully aligned with ISO 14083 and updating key indicators such as emission factors and emissions intensity tables to reflect newer data.
The direction of travel is clear: continued convergence around ISO 14083 for transport-chain quantification, with the GLEC Framework functioning as the practical, implementation-oriented route for companies and logistics providers.
Resources
GLEC Framework v3.1 — the current Framework document for calculation and reporting.
GLEC Framework web overview (Smart Freight Centre) — positioning and intended users (shippers, carriers, LSPs).
GHG Protocol Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Standard — widely used corporate reporting context where logistics emissions commonly sit.
