Key Takeaway
- Scope 3 is the new carbon battleground: Up to 90% of a business carbon footprint hides in the supply chain, and new rules across the globe will mandate disclosure as early as FY 2025.
- Staffing is a hidden hotspot—and a fast fix: Each office worker emits ~4.5 tCO₂e a year, yet choosing a carbon negative agency can wipe those tons—and the headaches—off your ledger.
- Carbon negative staffing turns cost into cash-flow relief: At the EPA's $190/t social cost of carbon, every carbon negative contractor dodges roughly $855 in modeled damages, shielding budgets as carbon credit prices climb toward $60–$100/t.
- Proof, not promises, wins RFPs: Audited GHG inventories, high-integrity carbon offsets, and “Scope 3-free” guarantees set sustainable staffing leaders like Aquent apart from firms that only purchase carbon credits.
- Climate-smart partners create a strategic edge: Partnering with carbon negative vendors trims disclosure burdens, de-risks procurement, and broadcasts climate leadership to investors, regulators, and employees alike.
For years, most companies centered their climate plans on Scope 1 (direct fuel use) and Scope 2 (purchased electricity). Today, despite shifting political winds, investor and regulatory pressures are pushing Scope 3—emissions from suppliers, contractors, and the wider value chain—into the spotlight. Starting as early as the 2025 fiscal year, regulations in the EU, Australia, and California, among others, will require large companies to disclose these value-chain emissions. At the same time, investors and ESG bodies, such as CDP, TCFD, and ISSB, increasingly view Scope 3 as nonnegotiable, as the climate risk picture is incomplete without it.
Yet one area often overlooked is the business carbon footprint of staffing and workforce solutions. From daily commuting and business travel to the energy used by offices and data centers, talent operations generate real emissions—most of which are Scope 3. But HR and procurement teams rarely connect vendor choice with carbon math, even though staffing partners sit squarely in Scope 3 Category 1: Purchased Goods & Services. Enter carbon negative staffing: a way to erase supplier emissions instead of merely offsetting them and, as we’ll show, reduce costs along the way.
“As one of the first companies in our industry to go carbon negative, Aquent is setting a new precedent for how sustainable staffing partners can accelerate their clients' climate goals. Because the work we do for our clients doesn't add to their Scope 3 emissions, we help them reach sustainability targets faster and at a lower cost since there's nothing to offset.”
Chris Bambacus Director of Social and Environmental Responsibility at Aquent
“As one of the first companies in our industry to go carbon negative, Aquent is setting a new precedent for how sustainable staffing partners can accelerate their clients’ climate goals. Because the work we do for our clients doesn’t add to their Scope 3 emissions, we help them reach sustainability targets faster and at a lower cost since there’s nothing to offset.” -Chris Bambacus, Director of Social and Environmental Responsibility at Aquent
From Scope 3 to net zero: Carbon terms explained
Before we go deeper, here are a few core concepts:
Carbon footprint: A carbon footprint is the climate impact of a person, company, or product. All the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced by one of these is converted into a standard unit known as a carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e). That way, gases like methane (≈27× more potent than CO₂ over 100 years) can be compared on equal footing. Globally, the average person’s CO₂e footprint is roughly 6.6 metric tons annually, while in the United States it averages 17.6 metric tons.
Scope 3 emissions: These are indirect emissions from an organization’s supply chain—everything from purchased goods and business travel to vendors and staffing partners. For most companies, Scope 3 makes up the largest slice (75-90%) of the emissions pie, so tackling it is crucial for any serious climate plan.
For leaders outside of Sustainability Teams, Scope 3 can feel abstract. In simple terms, it’s the CO₂e that comes from the companies you work with. If those partners add emissions, they become part of your problem. If they are carbon negative—like Aquent—they become part of your solution.
Carbon credit: This is a transferable certificate that represents one metric ton of CO₂e reduced / avoided or removed from the atmosphere, which can be bought, sold, or traded in carbon markets. These credits are earned by verified projects—like restoring forests, direct air capture, or generating clean energy—that measurably reduce or remove greenhouse gases. Businesses can purchase these credits to offset part of their own emissions, but the credibility depends on strict verification and transparency about how the reductions or removals are achieved.
Carbon offset: An offset occurs when a company compensates for its emissions by supporting projects that reduce or remove an equivalent amount of carbon elsewhere. Buying carbon credits is a common way to do this. When a credit is used for this purpose, it’s sometimes referred to as a “carbon offset.” Offsetting doesn't eliminate a company's own emissions. But it helps mitigate their impact while longer-term reduction plans take hold—ideally as part of a broader strategy to reduce emissions at the source.
Carbon neutral: Emissions produced are balanced by an equal amount of carbon reductions or removals (often via offsets). A company still emits, but it purchases or invests in carbon credits or projects to offset or counterbalance those emissions. It’s worth noting that regulators are tightening the rules around offset-based claims. The EU, for example, is moving to ban misleading green claims that hinge solely on offsetting by 2026.
Net zero: An organization achieves net zero by first reducing its Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions via science-based, 1.5°C-aligned pathways. Then, residual emissions—generally 5-10% max—are neutralized through permanent, like-for-like carbon removals. Like-for-like means the emissions source is equivalent to the emissions sink in warming impact, timescale, and durability of carbon storage (e.g., permanent CO₂ storage for burning fossil fuels).
Carbon negative: After cutting emissions as much as possible, the organization removes additional CO₂e (on a like-for-like basis) from the atmosphere, resulting in a net negative impact. Here’s how it works in practice:
- Significantly reduce operational emissions first (efficiency, renewable energy, remote work).
- Invest in high-quality carbon credits or surplus clean energy projects until the net impact is below zero.
- Verify results through independent audits and public reporting.
The rising cost of net zero
Carbon offsets were once relatively inexpensive. That’s no longer the case. As demand rises and standards tighten, prices have surged. Data from Sylvera shows that nature-based credits now sell for roughly $7 to $24 per metric ton of CO₂e, while engineered carbon removals—such as direct air capture—can run as high as $500. In general, the higher the quality and permanence of the credit, the steeper the price. Bloomberg predicts that the market average will climb to about $60 per ton by 2030 and could exceed $100 by 2050.
At the same time, mandatory carbon pricing is expanding. World Bank research shows that countries representing nearly two-thirds of global GDP now operate some form of regulated carbon tax or emissions trading program. This includes G20 nations such as Canada, China, Japan, Mexico, the UK, and the EU, along with middle-income countries like Brazil, India, and Indonesia.
This uncertainty in carbon markets matters for procurement and HR leaders. Every vendor that increases your Scope 3 emissions also increases your exposure to rising carbon costs. A staffing partner who is carbon negative can flip this equation, moving from an emissions liability to a measurable advantage.
By the numbers: The case for carbon negative staffing
To see how this translates into a benefit, let’s break down the carbon cost of an individual worker. The annual CO₂e emissions of a typical office worker range between 3.8 and 5.26 metric tons. The average of those two benchmarks is 4.5 tCO₂e.
Now, to put a price on that pollution, the last published social cost of carbon by the U.S. EPA was $190 per metric ton. Multiply the two, and you get roughly $855 in avoided climate-damage costs for every worker, per year.
4.5 t × $190 ≈ $855
Scaling the math: If you hire 100 contractors through a carbon negative partner, you will keep roughly 450 tCO₂e and $85.5k in modeled damages off your books each year. And, if your company runs an internal carbon price or buys offsets, those savings will hit real budgets—not just sustainability reports.
The math makes the case clear, but what does carbon negative staffing look like in practice? Aquent sets the bar for doing it right.
Aquent as a carbon negative staffing partner
In 2024, Aquent became the first global workforce solutions firm to achieve carbon negative status after a four-year effort that:
- Reduced: Transitioned to a virtual-first workplace by closing 30+ offices and scaling back business travel. Also moved the recruiting platform to a hydro-powered data center. These steps cut overall emissions by 72% (2020-2024).
- Offset: Built six solar farms in coal-reliant U.S. states that generate 6,200 MWh of renewable electricity annually. This equates to 4,971 tCO₂e in avoided emissions from the traditional grid. After neutralizing Aquent's 2,595 tCO₂e in residual annual emissions, the projects deliver an additional 2,376 tCO₂e in net-negative impact.
- Verified: Emissions and carbon offset data are independently audited by Apex Companies, LLC and disclosed annually to CDP and EcoVadis—providing assurance you can plug straight into your own ESG disclosures.
Because Aquent’s footprint is now net-negative, staffing one of our contractors adds zero tons to your Scope 3 ledger. Here’s what that means in real-world value for your team:
- Cost predictability and risk mitigation: You won't have to pay for Aquent's emissions—or worry about pricing changes in volatile offset markets. You transfer that risk to a partner who already manages it.
- Cleaner reports, simpler disclosures: Aquent's net-negative footprint adds zero tons to your Scope 3 tally, trimming both time and complexity from your ESG reporting.
- Competitive advantage: With Scope 3 under scrutiny for many companies, a carbon negative partner serves as a sustainability differentiator—especially in RFPs or competitive bids.
- Reputation and brand benefit: Your stakeholders—employees, customers, partners—care about climate impact. Working with a carbon negative vendor sends a visible signal of seriousness.
7 questions to vet any sustainable staffing partner
These seven questions can help you confirm whether a potential staffing partner is as climate-credible as it claims to be.
- Do you publish an audited GHG inventory? Using recognized disclosure frameworks and third-party audits helps ensure credibility.
- Are you carbon neutral, net zero, or carbon negative? Only the last two meaningfully reduce Scope 3.
- How have you cut operational emissions—especially those related to commuting and facilities? You want partners who reduce emissions first, then offset—not the reverse.
- How do you track emissions from remote work and cloud tools? Digital footprints count too.
- How do you verify the quality and permanence of your carbon credits or offset projects? High-integrity carbon credit standards and alignment with market frameworks such as ICVCM and VCMI help ensure the impact is real and lasting.
- Will your contractors appear in our Scope 3 ledger? Look for “Scope 3-free” guarantees, such as those provided by Aquent.
- What is your plan to keep improving? Vendors need iterative plans to achieve net zero and beyond.
Talent acquisition meets lower Scope 3 emissions with Aquent
Carbon negative staffing turns a routine procurement choice into a climate win and a budget hedge—all while tapping top talent. By eliminating the 4.5 tCO₂e an average office worker adds each year, you move closer to net-zero targets and sidestep rising carbon credit prices. It also indicates to regulators, investors, and Finance Teams that you’re ahead of the curve on climate-risk management.
Looking to bolster your sustainability efforts? Aquent Sustainability is here to help. Whether you're building an in-house Sustainability Team or need an expert to advise on best practices, our sustainability recruitment and consulting services help companies grow their impact. Get in touch.
About the authors
Jody Mousseau is currently VP of Sustainability Development and Co-Chair of the DEIB Council at Aquent. She has over twenty-five years of combined management consulting, client relationship management, and sales leadership experience and a strong passion for sustainable living and social justice. Jody joined Aquent in 2015 in a business development role and subsequently also worked on the recruiting side of the business. Her goals include creating meaningful relationships with clients and colleagues, creating safe and inclusive spaces for all, and normalizing diversity and sustainability in life every day.
Chris Bambacus is the Director of Sustainability and a member of the Sustainability & Environment Employee Resource Group at Aquent. Joining the company in 2008 as a User Experience Designer, he took on Aquent’s annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions inventory and disclosures in 2020. With a passion for creative problem solving and systems design, he leads emissions reduction initiatives and develops the company’s renewable energy projects. Outside of Aquent, Chris serves on the Energy & Sustainability committee in Belchertown, MA and is working towards a MS in Sustainability Science at UMass Amherst with a focus on Renewable Energy and Efficient Design.
Julie Yamamoto is a sustainability, Climate & Tech Content Strategist. She has over 20 years of global experience creating ESG, B2B tech, and environmental communications for multiple sectors. Her work has been featured in leading platforms, including Forbes, TechTarget, GreenBiz, and American Forests, as well as in numerous enterprise and nonprofit digital channels. In previous roles, she led content marketing for Cloverly, OneTrust’s ESG & Sustainability Cloud, and the IBM Center for Applied Insights. A trained Climate Reality leader, Julie has driven sustainability initiatives such as IBM AI for Social Good (Environment), Watson Green Advisor, Forests for the Earth, and data science for conservation efforts. She holds a Master of Science in Marketing Management from Nanzan University and a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Oglethorpe University.
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