BUSINESS RESEARCH

Data collection, storage and reporting processes

Data collection and storage is the set of processes through which an organisation gathers CR&S data from its various sources and holds it securely so it can be processed, analysed and reported. This Hot Topic explores the principles of CR&S data management across its full lifecycle. How data is collected consistently, cleaned and processed accurately, stored securely and prepared for reporting and why getting these processes right is critical to credible CR&S delivery.

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Data Collection, Storage and Reporting Processes

Knowing where CR&S data comes from and what metrics matter is necessary, but it is not enough. Data only creates value if it is collected consistently, processed accurately, stored securely and prepared so it can be reported and assured with confidence. Sustainability data is notoriously difficult to manage and comes from many sources, in many formats, often held in scattered spreadsheets and disconnected systems. A fragmentation that Lingaro (2024) describes as the ‘data jungle’, and it is one of the biggest obstacles to credible CR&S reporting.

This Hot Topic explores the principles of data management for CR&S: How data is collected, manipulated, stored and prepared for reporting, and the governance and quality controls that hold the process together. As CR&S data faces growing external scrutiny and, increasingly, mandatory assurance, getting these processes right has become critical to effective and credible CR&S project delivery.

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