In 2023, American Express completed a corporate carbon footprint assessment and publicly disclosed its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions according to the GHG Protocol, covering Scope 1 (direct emissions from owned or controlled sources), Scope 2 (indirect emissions from purchased energy) and Scope 3 (indirect emissions across the value chain).
American Express has also provided a category-level breakdown for 2 out of 15 Scope 3 emissions categories, offering greater transparency into its value chain emissions.
Metric (tCO2e) | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 - 2017 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Total Scope 1 | 0000000 | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data. | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data. | 0000000 |
Total Scope 2 | ||||
Market-Based | 0000000 | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data. | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data. | 0000000 |
Location-Based | 0000000 | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data. | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data. | 0000000 |
Total Scope 3 | 0000000 | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data. | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data. | 0000000 |
This table provides a simplified preview of selected GHG emissions data points. To access the complete dataset with full disclosures, detailed breakdowns, and source traceability, create a free account to view purchase options.
In 2023, the total operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of American Express amounted to 122,639 metric tons of CO2 equivalent. This figure includes both direct emissions from owned or controlled sources (Scope 1) and indirect emissions from purchased energy (Scope 2).
Compared to 2022, the total operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of American Express increased by 14.68%, suggesting that the company faced challenges in reducing its emissions from its core operations.
In 2023, the total Scope 1 emissions of American Express were 28,952 metric tons of COâ‚‚ equivalent (tCOâ‚‚e).
Since 2018, American Express's Scope 1 emissions have increased by 20.73%, reflecting a rising long-term trend in Scope 1 emissions over time.
Compared to the previous year (2022), American Express's Scope 1 emissions increased by 33.08%, suggesting that the company faced challenges in reducing emissions from its directly owned or controlled operations.
In 2023, American Express reported Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 2,269 tCOâ‚‚e using the market-based method and 93,687 tCOâ‚‚e using the location-based method.
Since 2018, American Express's Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Location-Based) have decreased by 16.9%, reflecting a declining long-term trend in Scope 2 emissions over time.
Compared to the previous year (2022), American Express's Scope 2 emissions (Location-Based) have remained relatively stable, indicating that American Express 's emissions have plateaued with no significant change in its energy consumption footprint.
In 2023, American Express reported its Scope 2 emissions using the market-based method and using the location-based method.
In 2023, American Express reported 18,871 metric tons of COâ‚‚ equivalent (tCOâ‚‚e) of Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, representing indirect emissions across its upstream and downstream value chain.
The 2023 disclosure of American Express includes a breakdown across 2 of the 15 Scope 3 categories defined by the GHG Protocol, matching the level of disclosure in 2022, demonstrating consistent Scope 3 emissions reporting coverage year over year.
In 2023, American Express reported total Scope 3 emissions of 18,871 metric tons of COâ‚‚ equivalent (tCOâ‚‚e).
Approximately 100% of these emissions originated from upstream activities such as purchased goods and capital goods, while 0% came from downstream activities like product use, distribution, and end-of-life treatment.
Since 2018, American Express's Scope 3 emissions have decreased by 60.09%, reflecting a declining long-term trend in Scope 3 emissions over time.
Compared to the previous year (2022), American Express's Scope 3 emissions increased by 56.96%, suggesting that the company faced challenges in reducing emissions across its value chain.
In 2023, American Express reported emissions for 2 out of the 15 Scope 3 categories defined by the GHG Protocol.
The limited disclosure restricts visibility into specific emission sources across the company's value chain.
In 2023, the largest contributors to American Express's Scope 3 emissions were:
In 2023, American Express reported a total carbon footprint of 141,510 metric tons of COâ‚‚ equivalent (tCOâ‚‚e) across Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions. This represents a 18.95% increase compared to 2022, suggesting a rise in emissions across its operations or value chain.
The largest contributor to American Express's total carbon footprint was Scope 2 emissions, accounting for 66.21% of the company's total carbon footprint, followed by Scope 1 emissions at 20.46%.