How do you integrate sustainability data with other business data and systems?

1 Identify your data sources and needs

The first step in integrating sustainability data is to identify what data you need to collect, where it comes from, and how it relates to your business goals and strategies. You may need to gather data from various sources, such as internal operations, suppliers, customers, stakeholders, or external databases. You also need to define what metrics and indicators you want to use to measure your sustainability performance, such as carbon footprint, water consumption, waste generation, social impact, or compliance. You should align your data needs with the relevant sustainability standards and frameworks, such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), or the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

2 Establish a data governance framework

The next step is to establish a data governance framework that ensures the quality, consistency, security, and accessibility of your sustainability data. This involves setting clear roles and responsibilities for data collection, validation, storage, and sharing across your organization. You also need to establish data policies and procedures that define how data is collected, verified, updated, and reported. You should also implement data quality checks and audits to ensure that your data is accurate, complete, reliable, and relevant. A data governance framework will help you avoid data silos, duplication, errors, and gaps, and enable you to comply with data regulations and standards.

3 Choose a data integration platform

The third step is to choose a data integration platform that allows you to connect, transform, and analyze your sustainability data with other business data and systems. A data integration platform is a software tool that enables you to collect data from various sources, such as spreadsheets, databases, sensors, APIs, or cloud services, and integrate it into a common data model or format. It also allows you to apply data transformations, such as cleaning, mapping, aggregating, or enriching, to prepare your data for analysis. A data integration platform can also provide data visualization, dashboarding, and reporting features that help you explore, understand, and communicate your sustainability data and insights. Some examples of data integration platforms that support sustainability data are Enablon, Ecochain, or Measurabl.

4 Automate and streamline your data integration process

The fourth step is to automate and streamline your data integration process to save time, resources, and effort. You can use data integration platforms to automate the data collection, transformation, and analysis tasks, and schedule them to run at regular intervals or triggers. You can also use data integration platforms to streamline the data flow and communication between your sustainability data and other business systems, such as ERP, CRM, BI, or ESG. This will help you create a seamless and integrated data ecosystem that supports your business processes and decisions. Automation and streamlining will also help you improve the timeliness, frequency, and consistency of your sustainability data and reporting.

5 Leverage your data integration for business value

The final step is to leverage your data integration for business value. You can use your integrated sustainability data to gain insights into your sustainability performance, identify opportunities for improvement, and track your progress and impact. You can also use your integrated sustainability data to inform your business strategy, innovation, and risk management, and align them with your sustainability goals and vision. Moreover, you can use your integrated sustainability data to communicate your sustainability story, achievements, and challenges to your stakeholders, such as investors, customers, employees, or regulators. By leveraging your data integration for business value, you can enhance your reputation, competitiveness, and resilience in the market.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?