How C40 cities is using data analytics to improve sustainability

The world is changing at super speed. New and improved versions of existing technology are being rolled out faster than ever, spreading innovation across business departments. If we take AI as an example, it’s only been nine months since ChatGPT was launched, but it is already hard to imagine a world without generative AI in its many forms.

This kind of rapid innovation also means that the impact businesses have in the communities and the environment they operate in is constantly changing, with the downside that it can, in turn, make it very difficult for sustainability teams across businesses to provide leaders with a clear picture of their company’s carbon emissions and what can be done to reduce them.

Measuring a company’s carbon impact – divided into scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions – and compiling ESG reports has never been easy, mostly due to the many different data points that must be considered. Fortunately, widespread technology also means there is more data on businesses than ever before, and with the right technology and data analytics, it’s possible to identify the most relevant sustainability data points and turn them into easy-to-digest, shareable information that senior leadership can use to take decisions on how to improve their carbon footprint.

Before I delve into the fantastic work Qlik has been doing alongside C40 cities to reduce administrations’ carbon emissions and through data, I would like to thank Julie Kae, Qlik’s very own ESG champion, driving sustainability efforts with organisations worldwide.

Real-time data for real-time impact

Many companies are still gathering their sustainability results manually and providing a full view of a company’s impact on the environment – usually through ESG reporting – once or twice a year. This is not enough, given the speed at which companies move and change. Businesses should be aware of their climate impact at any time and ensure that decisions taken at any point in the year consider ESG impact.

We have supported our customers with gathering and understanding sustainability data, using Qlik technology and data analytics to measure carbon impact on a regular basis. A good example of this is Qlik’s work with C40 cities, a global network of mayors from the world’s leading cities, from San Francisco to Jakarta via Rome, united in action to confront the climate crisis.

In partnership with Qlik, C40 has developed an advanced collaborative platform to help cities learn from each other’s successes and share resources – from documenting best practices to presenting at webinars or even experiences mentoring other cities. The dashboards allow cities to see where they stand on key metrics and benchmark themselves against peers, aiming to improve decision-making and accelerate the policies and investments necessary to prevent more catastrophic consequences of climate change.

Qlik technology is also used by cities participating in C40 and businesses to track emissions, temperatures and air quality, as well as monitor transport, waste management and food systems. Once the analysis has been conducted and used to inform improvement recommendations and actions, it is presented to decision-makers to influence their actions.

Businesses can learn from these global organisations to drive sustainability through their own operations by, for instance, embedding their sustainability metrics - such as CO2 targets - into their existing data processes to drive progress for their organisations on a path to net zero.

My Scope 2 is your Scope 3

Carbon 3 emissions, indirect emissions that are created by a company’s value chain, make up the largest percentage of a company’s carbon footprint but are known to be the hardest ones to calculate. Here is where sustainability data-sharing becomes essential for businesses looking to positively impact the planet.

One company’s scope 2 emissions are, by definition, its business partner’s scope 3. Suppose different organisations that are using real-time data to measure their emissions in real time share these results with each other. In that case, it will make it easier for all to calculate their emissions and, therefore, be able to act faster. Inter-company cooperation is key to making a real impact.

Real-time insights mean real-time change

Data is an essential tool to help us understand the world around us in detail, including the impact businesses have on their surroundings. Turning the overwhelming amounts of available data into actionable insights is daunting. Still, with the right technology, it can be done not just once or twice a year but in almost real-time.

With the right information in hand, it is much easier for business leaders to make decisions that will positively impact the communities and environment they operate in and protect our planet.