What are the best ways to ensure data quality in your sustainability strategy?

For a robust sustainability strategy, it's crucial to define data needs, focusing on key metrics like energy consumption, emissions, waste generation, and resource usage. Equally important is capturing data on potential optimizations to reduce environmental impact. Establish criteria for accuracy and consistency to ensure reliable data. This approach aids in identifying areas for improvement and tracking progress. Metrics such as carbon footprint, recycling rates, and energy efficiency, combined with insights on optimization, lay the groundwork for effective reporting, reduction strategies, and a comprehensive sustainability plan.

In my experience, at a minimum, having a clear data taxonomy, standardized procedure for data collection, calculations and clear cut responsibilities that are shared across all the stakeholders - within and outside of an organization can result in significant improvement in data quality.

In my experience of 10 years in a connected world of digitisation data driven decisions is important for any industry . For any manufacturer the first is connected machines data driven insights in real time with contextual and decisions with value for what they invested and returns in saving which finally lead to a sustainable manufacturing

Achieving the right level of data granuarity is crucial so that we can pinpoint specific sources for emissions and take targeted actions while minimizing investments. However, it is easy to get overwhelmed by the time-consuming process it often proves to be. A typical case of analysis paralysis. Instead, be pragmatic. It is acceptable, even advisable, to make reasonable assumptions where necessary at the onset. Ensure you have solid foundations for data management in place, making data refinement an easy and natural process. Finding a balance between simplicity and detail fosters actionable, quick, and practical decision-making without losing sight of the end goal.

Solid data governance forms the backbone of reliable data management. It involves setting clear guidelines on data ownership, accessibility, and security. This ensures that the collected information is handled responsibly, maintaining accuracy, security, and compliance with regulations.

Enhanced Data Quality: Data governance ensures that your data is accurate, consistent, and complete. This means you can make informed decisions based on reliable information, and improving overall efficiency. Improved Data Security: Data governance establishes clear guidelines for data access, usage, and protection. Streamlined Data Sharing: Data governance facilitates seamless data sharing within your organization and with authorized external parties. Reduced Data Costs: Data governance helps eliminate redundant or unnecessary data storage. Enhanced Compliance: Data governance ensures compliance with industry regulations and data privacy laws. Increased Data Literacy: Data governance promotes data literacy among employees.

Adopting specialized tools designed for sustainability data management optimizes the process. These tools streamline data collection, organization, and analysis, aiding in efficient and accurate reporting of sustainability metrics. Utilizing dedicated software contributes to improved accuracy and efficiency in handling sustainability data.

Rigorous validation and verification processes are critical to ensuring data accuracy. Cross-checking sources, verifying data points, and implementing validation protocols help guarantee that the information collected is reliable and trustworthy.

Data and information are key and indispensable in any sustainability report, however, it is also very important to have historical data within the report. In my experience, to see the evolution of a sustainability report, I always recommend at least publishing and maintaining the data from the last three years on ESG issues, this will allow investors to see the evolution of the company in the different indicators, it is also recommended that this numerical data be connected with the different goals and objectives that have been established in the business sustainability plans or strategies of the organization

A sustentabilidade em relação às questões ambientais, sociais e de governança é um caminho sem volta no mundo atual. À medida em que as civilizações se desenvolvem e o nível de consciência na sociedade aumenta, esse tema se torna cada vez mais relevante. Infelizmente, uma maior consciência não é o suficiente para que não exista injustiça e desigualdade. Precisamos cuidar do planeta por um motivo muito simples: a Terra ainda é o ÚNICO lugar do universo conhecido que pode abrigar o ser humano.