Prepare

How to prepare for collecting carbon data

Your organization should build the capabilities necessary to collect granular GHG carbon data within its operations and across its entire supply chain (e.g., emissions on the product and SKU level) to support climate action. It is never too early to prepare for a robust emissions data system. At this stage, your company can prepare to produce a detailed emissions inventory. It may be reasonable to engage outside experts to create and verify your first or second inventories, but over time this function should be built into regular corporate processes (See Chapter: Measure and verify). To ensure accurate updating of data and monitoring of emissions and KPIs over time, it is also recommended to establish a clear process for data feeds and updates. This requires clear ownership, updated schedules, and capable IT systems in line with current and future requirements. Planning for this can and should start early in the journey (although it often does not), as implementation of data systems and complete integration with other systems can take many months or even a few years.

Finally, it is recommended to grant full and easy access to relevant data and analytics across the organization, allowing employees from different departments to view and digest this information, and enabling your organization to break down all-too-prevalent silos, and ultimately foster effective cross-functional collaboration.