We present a new approach for calculating the fraction of very‐short lived substances (VSLS) emitted at the surface (and their degradation products) that reach the stratosphere (β) using the FLEXPART Lagrangian model. The values of β play a key role in determining the efficiency of these compounds for depleting stratospheric ozone, and are used to estimate ozone depletion potentials (ODPs) of several short‐lived compounds. Calculated β and ODPs of VSLSs show large regional and seasonal variability owing to the importance of convective transport. For instance, β and ODPs associated with emissions from the Indian subcontinent is an order of magnitude larger than that from Europe, mid‐latitude North America, or East Asia. The seasonal cycle of β is mainly driven by transport efficiency from the boundary layer into the tropical stratosphere; β has a minimum in winter and a maximum in summer.