Company car parks: the future tool for carbon reporting?

What does a company car park look like these days? A gate that opens, cars coming in and out, a few allocated spaces, and management that is often an afterthought. Nothing particularly « strategic » on the face of it.

But what if this simple space revealed far more than we realise? What if it became a key source of information on employees’ (actual) mobility? What if we could identify, day by day, the proportion of petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric vehicles? Or even measure the real impact of remote working and mobility policies?

And above all: what does this data reveal about the company’s carbon emissions?

At a time when organisations are stepping up their non-financial reporting obligations and seeking to better understand their Scope 3 emissions, one question stands out: can we still afford to ignore what a car park reveals?

Behind this everyday space may lie a new tool for carbon management.

A quick reminder: what exactly is corporate carbon reporting?

Behind this somewhat technical term lies a reality that has become unavoidable for organisations. Carbon reporting is, above all, an attempt to answer a simple question: what, precisely, are the greenhouse gas emissions generated by a company’s operations?

And the answer is never as straightforward as one might imagine. Between direct emissions (from buildings and company vehicles), energy consumption, and above all the indirect emissions linked to procurement, travel and product use – the so-called Scope 3 – the puzzle quickly becomes complex.

Why has this exercise become so crucial? Because companies can no longer make do with general targets and declarative commitments. Stricter regulations, investor expectations, pressure from customers, and the transparency demanded by staff… carbon is now a management issue in its own right.

But another question arises: how do you measure what you cannot see? How do you track emissions resulting from everyday behaviour, which is often scattered and sometimes difficult to trace?

This is where carbon reporting takes on a new dimension. It is no longer simply a matter of producing an annual report, but of finding new sources of data that are more detailed and closer to the ground.

What if, in fact, some of this data were hidden in places we wouldn’t even think to look? For example, the company car park.

Why is the company car park becoming a relevant source of data?

Because it brings together, in a single location, a large part of what companies are specifically seeking to measure: the actual mobility of their staff.

But the car park tells a different story: one that is concrete, everyday and verifiable. Who comes by car? Who car-shares? How often? What type of vehicle do they use? And, above all, how do these patterns change over time?

Behind these questions lies a major issue: commuting and business travel, which account for a significant proportion of Scope 3 emissions. Yet these are also among the most difficult emissions to track accurately. The car park therefore becomes a prime vantage point.

However, there is also another key factor: the central location of the site. The car park is often the sole entry point to a business site. This makes it a naturally strategic location for collecting consistent data, whether it involves vehicle counting, analysing occupancy flows, or the use of car-sharing and sustainable transport.

Above all, what is a game-changer today is the technological capability to harness this information. Occupancy sensors, number plate recognition, the integration of electric charging points, and so on. The car park is no longer just a physical space; it is gradually becoming a continuous and actionable source of data.

So a question arises: if this information is already right before our eyes, why not use it to finally refine companies’ carbon management?

From parking to carbon data: what technologies are available?

Whilst car parks are becoming a relevant source of data, we still need to be able to transform a flow of vehicles into actionable information. And this is precisely where technology is a game-changer.

The first building block is occupancy sensors. Installed at individual parking spaces, they provide real-time information on whether a space is free or occupied. Beyond simple car park management, they provide a detailed picture of footfall rates and peaks in usage – key indicators of mobility intensity.

Next comes number plate recognition (ANPR system). In practical terms, this is a technology that enables read vehicle number plates as they enter and exit the car park. Thanks to this, we can better understand what types of cars use the car park – for example, whether they are petrol or diesel cars, hybrids or electric vehicles – by linking them to known vehicle information. This is a key step in linking parking to actionable carbon data.

Electric charging points add an extra layer. They do more than just supply energy: they also generate precise data on the uptake of electric mobility, energy consumption and charging habits. They thus become a direct indicator of the energy transition among fleets and employees.

Finally, the whole system comes into its own thanks to corporate car park management applications, such as Sharvy. These applications aggregate, cross-reference and analyse this data to transform it into clear indicators: home-to-work travel, changes in usage patterns, electrification rates, and even the impact of mobility policies.

The car park as a source of KPIs and key indicators for carbon reporting.

↪ Measure the breakdown of vehicle powertrains in your car park.

The first key indicator involves measuring the proportion of different vehicle types in the car park: internal combustion, hybrid and electric. This enables you to track the transition in your employees’ vehicle fleet and objectively assess progress towards decarbonisation.

In practice, this KPI can be derived from car park access systems (for example, if an ANPR camera is installed), or from a voluntary vehicle census. It is then used to monitor changes in the vehicle powertrain mix and to steer your energy transition objectives.

↪ Monitor the occupancy rate of your company car park.

Your car park’s occupancy rate is a simple yet very powerful indicator. It helps you understand on-site attendance patterns, peaks in activity and the effects of new ways of working, such as remote working.

This KPI is generally derived from parking sensors, car park management systems (such as Sharvy) or access data. It can be tracked over time to analyse variations in usage and measure the impact of your mobility policies.

↪ Estimate emissions from commutes.

By cross-referencing your car park usage data with assumptions about distance and vehicle type, it becomes possible to estimate emissions from commutes.

This KPI is particularly important as it directly contributes to Scope 3 of the carbon footprint assessment. It enables you to track emissions over time and identify the most effective ways to reduce them.

↪ Track the uptake of electric mobility.

The car park also enables you to measure the growth of electric mobility, particularly through the installation and management of charging points, but also through the presence of electric vehicles.

Related indicators include the utilisation rate of your charging points, the proportion of electric vehicles present, and how these figures change over time. They provide a clear picture of the progress being made towards the electrification of transport.

↪ Assess the impact of the company’s mobility policies.

Initiatives such as remote working, car-sharing and mobility plans are often rolled out with ambitious targets, but their actual effectiveness can sometimes be difficult to demonstrate.

Changes in your occupancy rate, reductions in peak usage or shifts in behaviour become directly actionable indicators for assessing the effectiveness of your measures and adjusting them where necessary.

So, how do you go about it? Here are 4 tips!

1. Set up the technical infrastructure for the system.

Before you can make use of car park data, you need to put the right data collection tools in place. This usually involves a car park management application, occupancy sensors, access control systems, and even number plate recognition (NPR) technology.

The aim is not to overcomplicate things, but to create a reliable foundation for understanding who uses the car park, when and how, whilst integrating existing company-side data (HR, mobility, fleet).

2. Develop a phased roll-out plan.

Implementing carbon reporting is not a one-off process. It often begins with a diagnostic phase: analysing current usage patterns, assessing the car park’s level of digitalisation, and identifying the data available.

Companies then gradually roll out the equipment and analytical tools, starting with simple indicators (occupancy rates, footfall) before moving on to more advanced metrics relating to carbon emissions and mobility behaviour.

3. Connect the data to existing tools.

For your car park to truly become a carbon reporting tool, it must be integrated into your company’s data ecosystem. This involves connections with the HRIS, mobility management tools and ESG reporting platforms.

This integration enables you to cross-reference attendance, travel and vehicle usage data to produce consistent and actionable carbon indicators for non-financial reports.

4. Establish a data governance framework.

Finally, your project must be underpinned by clear governance. It is essential to define who collects the data, who analyses it and who uses it for carbon reporting purposes. This ensures the quality of the information, prevents duplication and guarantees that the data is used in line with the company’s CSR objectives.

In conclusion

The company car park has long been viewed as a purely functional space, almost invisible within the overall strategy. However, as carbon reporting requirements become more stringent, it reveals a whole new potential: that of a concrete vantage point for observing everyday mobility patterns.

By transforming car park usage data into KPIs, companies gain an additional tool to better understand their emissions, track their trends and steer their reduction efforts.

Of course, this approach does not replace traditional carbon accounting methods. It complements them by providing a more detailed, dynamic and on-the-ground perspective.

Ultimately, the real question may no longer be whether car parks can become a tool for carbon reporting… but rather: how much longer can companies afford not to use them as such?

Got a question? Check out the following FAQ!

Can all companies turn their car parks into a source of carbon data?

Yes, but not to the same level of maturity. A company can start simply with occupancy data or internal surveys, then move on to more advanced systems (sensors, IT integrations, car park management apps, automated analysis). The process is gradual: it isn’t necessary to have a complex infrastructure from the outset to gain initial useful insights.

Does this type of system replace a traditional carbon footprint assessment?

No. The company car park does not replace a regulatory or voluntary carbon footprint assessment. Rather, it enriches existing data by providing a more detailed insight into a specific area: staff travel patterns. It is a complementary management tool.

How can we ensure that employees accept this type of approach?

The key lies in transparency. It is important to clearly explain the scheme’s environmental objectives, to focus on aggregated data, and to demonstrate how these analyses contribute to more sustainable mobility policies. Support is generally stronger when the initiative is perceived as a collective effort rather than an individual one.