Bosch: Making Scope 3 Our Business

Key Takeaways from ChoiceEvent #82 with Bosch

At ChoiceEvent #82, hosted by ClimateChoice, we had the privilege of learning from Dr. Thomas Schulte, Senior Vice President, Head of Governance Supply Chain Management & Purchasing at Bosch. With over 20 years of experience in supply chain and purchasing, Dr. Schulte shared Bosch’s ambitious approach to Scope 3 decarbonization, how they integrate climate data into procurement, and why supplier engagement is the key to turning regulatory challenges into business opportunities.

Why Scope 3 Remains a Business Imperative

As 2025 unfolds, regulatory uncertainties, shifting policies, and economic pressures continue to shape corporate strategies. Some might assume sustainability is taking a back seat - but the reality is quite the opposite.

Leading companies recognize that Scope 3 action is about more than just compliance:

✔ Business resilience – Strengthening supply chains against climate-related disruptions.
✔ Risk mitigation – Preparing for increasing regulatory and financial scrutiny.
✔ Competitive advantage – Securing access to future-proof, low-carbon markets.

And Bosch, as a global leader in technology and services, is setting the bar by making Scope 3 decarbonization a core business strategy.

Bosch’s Scope 3 Journey: From Carbon Data to Strategic Action

With 35,000+ suppliers across 50 countries, Bosch operates one of the most extensive and complex supply chains in the world. Decarbonizing Scope 3 emissions at this scale requires systematic supplier engagement, integration into procurement, and ambitious long-term targets.

Key Achievements:

Carbon Neutral Since 2020 – Achieved neutrality across 400+ locations in 58 countries (Scope 1 & 2).
First Automotive Supplier to Join SBTi – Set a global benchmark in Scope 3 decarbonization in 2020.
27% Reduction in Scope 3 Emissions Since 2018 – Demonstrating measurable impact, not just commitments.

Supplier Engagement: Driving Climate Action at Scale

66% of Bosch’s purchasing volume is already covered by supplier emissions disclosures.
More than 900 suppliers have committed to SBTi-aligned climate targets.

Rather than simply requesting data, Bosch actively supports its suppliers in improving their climate maturity. Through training, guidance, and incentives, suppliers transition from using industry averages to providing primary carbon data and achieving real emissions reductions.

According to Dr. Schulte, building supplier engagement starts with demonstrating clear ambition. If suppliers do not see a company taking its own sustainability goals seriously, they are less likely to invest in their own climate initiatives.

From Data to Decisions: Embedding Carbon Accounting in Procurement

✔ Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs) are integrated into sourcing and supplier selection.
✔ Emission transparency is a key evaluation factor in procurement decisions.
✔ Procurement teams are trained to leverage carbon data in decision-making.

Dr. Schulte pointed out that perfection is not required at the start. Companies should begin with the data available, ensure they are moving in the right direction, and improve accuracy over time.

Turning Regulations Into Business Opportunities

✔ Risk-based supplier compliance ensures alignment with evolving laws like CSRD and CSDDD.
✔ A unified sustainability strategy across all business units creates consistency.

While many companies struggle with regulatory complexity, Bosch treats compliance as a competitive advantage, integrating sustainability into supplier collaboration and procurement.

Dr. Schulte explained that instead of seeing evolving regulations as a barrier, companies should use them as a way to improve supply chain transparency, resilience, and efficiency.

Ready to Kick-Start Your Scope 3 Journey?

While Bosch has scaled its Scope 3 strategy, many organizations are still figuring out where to start. If you’re asking:

How do we transition from pilot projects to full-scale implementation?
How can we efficiently collect supplier emissions data?
How do we secure internal and supplier buy-in for decarbonization?

We invite you to join us for cohort #4 of the Scope 3 Action Group, starting in March 2025:

We’ve worked with over 40 companies, from midsize to large enterprises, helping them develop and scale Scope 3 strategies through our Scope 3 Action Group - a four-month blended learning and action program.

What You’ll Get

✔ Exclusive peer exchange and expert insights – Learn from leading companies and industry pioneers on best practices for supplier engagement and climate data management.
✔ Actionable tools for direct implementation – Gain hands-on access to structured frameworks, including Supplier Climate Maturity Mapping, Scope 3 Roadmapping, and Strategic Action Planning, to accelerate supplier collaboration and decarbonization.
✔ Your tailored Scope 3 strategy – Develop a structured, step-by-step approach to scaling your supplier engagement, integrating emissions data into procurement, and making climate action business as usual.

🚀 The next Scope 3 Action Group starts in March 2025—a unique opportunity to transform insights into action. Join the movement today.

Join the Conversation

If you missed ChoiceEvent #82, don’t worry.

📌 Watch the full webinar recording here
📌 Apply for the next Scope 3 Action Group here
📌 Join us at the Climate Transformation Summit 2025

A big thank you to Dr. Thomas Schulte for his valuable insights and to all our engaged participants for making this discussion dynamic and impactful.

Let’s turn Scope 3 ambition into action - together.