Manage and master sustainability data

Sustainability reporting can feel like one big jungle, with a multitude of standards, regulations, and directives to navigate. What rules and legal requirements apply to my company? Does the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive affect me? What data do my customers expect me to report, and in what format? 

While your business may not be subject to legal requirements such as CSRD and ESRS now, you probably have customers who are. You are required to report environmental data in your capacity as their supplier.    

So why not get ahead of the game when it comes to sustainability reporting and improve your competitive edge in the marketplace? 

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Different companies of varying sizes operating in different industries may have a range of requirements and demands, so start by getting in touch with them and asking three simple questions. 

First and foremost, what types of emissions, or scopes, do they want you to report under the GHG Protocol’s Scope 1, 2, 3 framework? 

Reporting every single emission would be time-consuming and unnecessary for most companies, so ask your customers specifically which scopes they want you to report. 

Considered either direct or indirect, emissions are categorized into three groups, or scopes, by international and national carbon accounting standards.   

• Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions from operations that are owned or controlled by the company, such as those resulting from vehicles, fuel use, or process emissions from chemical reactions.
• Scope 2 emissions are those released into the atmosphere from the use of purchased energy. These are classed as “indirect emissions” because the actual emissions are generated at another facility, such as a power plant.  
• Scope 3 emissions include all other indirect emissions that occur across the value chain and fall outside of the organization’s direct control. They include employee business travel in transport not owned by the company, and employees commuting to and from work. Scope 3 accounts for 90% of the average business’s climate impact. 

Monitor ERP includes built-in tools to measure and report emission types according to the scope category within the GHG Protocol, so you’re fully equipped to meet your customers’ requirements in this area.

Ask your customer in which format they’d like to have the data reported. Maybe they have a dedicated portal for this purpose or need the data in a specific format compatible with their own reporting tools or platforms? 

While Monitor ERP enables both standard and adapted reports for sustainability data, we strongly recommend using the system’s powerful web-based Business Intelligence (BI) functionality for this purpose. Included in the system as standard, BI lets you build customized dashboards to present environmental data just the way you want it. This is important because different customers will ask for different data, and BI has the flexibility to present and report it in a clear and straightforward way. 

Reports can also be exported to Excel or PDF format, according to your customers’ requirements. The Sustainability and BI functions work seamlessly together in Monitor ERP, and both are included as standard features. 

If you’re unsure about what your customers expect from you when it comes to sustainability data, asking these three questions will get the ball rolling and ensure you’re fully prepared to report whatever data you may be asked to provide. 

This will not only improve your relationships with existing customers but also make your company more competitive in attracting new business.