How do international businesses overcome the barrier of lacking internal technical capacity for emissions measurement and reporting?

The lack of technical capacity for Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) of emissions is a significant barrier for small and medium-sized enterprises participating in the carbon market. However, many international businesses have overcome this issue by hiring external experts, utilizing digital software, or participating in technical assistance programs offered by international organizations.

A common solution is partnering with professional consulting firms such as South Pole, EcoAct, or technology companies like Watershed, to conduct initial assessments, establish data collection systems, and standardize reporting according to frameworks like the GHG Protocol. Hiring external experts helps businesses avoid large investments in internal personnel while still ensuring the quality of MRV.155

Furthermore, many SMEs utilize MRV software platforms such as Sweep (France), Plan A (Germany), or Persefoni (USA), which allow businesses to input operational data and receive automated emissions reports, along with proposed emission reduction methods tailored to each source. Many of these platforms currently offer low-cost packages specifically for SMEs.156

Governments in several countries have provided funding for SMEs to participate in technical assistance programs. For example, the Climate Smart Program in Canada offers funding for SMEs to hire emissions assessment experts and conduct internal training. In Singapore, the Enterprise Sustainability Programme funds up to 70% of ESG consulting costs for small businesses. Several non-profit organizations such as Gold Standard, Clean Cooking Alliance, or GIZ (Germany) also have co-funding programs for MRV costs for SMEs in developing countries, helping them implement carbon projects with low initial costs.

Finally, many SMEs also participate in collective projects to share costs and receive group MRV guidance. Consequently, even lacking internal technical capacity, they can still meet MRV requirements through external support and digitalization technology.

References

155. Global Insight Services. (2025). Carbon Footprint Management Market Analysis and Forecast to 2034. Carbon Footprint Management Market. https://www.globalinsightservices.com/reports/carbon-footprint-management-market/
156. SWEEP. (2025). 7 best carbon accounting software platforms in 2025. SWEEP. https://www.sweep.net/blog/top-carbon-accounting-software-for-us-businesses-in-2025