Combine Spend and Activity Data
How to Combine Spend and Activity Data to Increase CO2-e Reporting Accuracy
In the quest for precise CO2 calculations, activity data has emerged as the gold standard. However, a more holistic approach is gaining ground, blending both activity and spend metrics. Our AFC ESG & Carbon Accounting application not only embraces this combined method but goes a step further by enabling dual calculations on a single datapoint, ensuring heightened accuracy and validation in carbon accounting.
Activity vs. Spend-Approach
In the realm of carbon accounting, the utilization of activity data has emerged as the prevailing method for achieving accurate CO2 calculations. Rooted in the GHG Protocol Calculation Guidance, this approach is lauded for its ability to provide a granular understanding of emissions by tying them directly to specific activities. However, while activity data offers a robust foundation for precise calculations, it comes hand in hand with a substantial administrative burden for companies and stakeholders alike.
In contrast to the meticulous granularity of activity-based calculation, the spend-based method emerges as a pragmatic alternative in carbon accounting. Frequently employed for less impactful areas of a business or where the administrative cost burden proves prohibitively high, this approach trades precision for practicality.
In our opinion the spend-based method offers a pragmatic “get-started” approach that helps companies get control of baseline emission calculations and focus their efforts on activity data around the areas that really matter. We fully accept the above arguments to choose the activity based method, but rather where it makes sense from a holistic perspective.
Empowering Customized Carbon Accounting with Our
AFC ESG Platform
In the dynamic landscape of carbon accounting, a singular approach (spend OR activities) no longer suffices. Recognizing this, our ESG platform seamlessly integrates both activity and spend-based data as inputs for accurate carbon calculations.
1. Beyond Spend vs. Activity: Our platform defies the notion of a binary choice between spend or activity data. Instead, it acknowledges the nuanced nature of emissions and their drivers, emphasizing the need for a versatile methodology that goes beyond the confines of traditional calculation approaches.
2. Tailored Combination: We empower our customers to shape their own carbon accounting strategies by enabling the combination of spend and activity data. This adaptable approach grants businesses the flexibility to align carbon accounting with their specific operations, objectives, and resource constraints.
3. Evolving Dynamics: Change is constant, and so is the evolution of carbon accounting needs. Our platform is designed to grow and adapt alongside these shifting requirements.
Through customizable design options, users can refine their data inputs, ensuring their carbon accounting methods remain pertinent in an ever-changing sustainability landscape.
In this synergy of data streams and customizable design, our ESG platform propels businesses toward comprehensive and dynamic carbon accounting.
Enhancing Dual Calculations
Navigating the intricacies of carbon accounting often involves working with unconventional unit types, such as kilowatt-hours, which might be unfamiliar to many. To address the challenge of verifying completeness and accuracy, our ESG platform introduces the concept of dual CO2-e calculations at a single data point.
In a step toward comprehensive validation, our platform facilitates the simultaneous execution of both primary and secondary CO2-e calculations for each data point. This innovative approach fosters a new level of accountability, providing an essential cross-check mechanism to ensure precision and reliability.
Recognizing that carbon accounting is not confined to a one-size-fits-all paradigm, this dual calculation capability empowers users to validate their calculations through multiple lenses. By harmonizing primary and secondary methodologies, our platform equips businesses with a robust toolkit to navigate the complexities of carbon accounting while ensuring their sustainability efforts are grounded in accurate and complete data.
