Now that you are getting set up on Plan A Platform, it is time to figure out how to mobilise resources, personnel and time within your company to get your data and enter it into the platform continuously.
The Plan A Sustainability Platform calculates emissions based on the data you provide. This means data collection isn’t just a technical step — it’s a strategic one. Good project management helps ensure that:
You collect the most accurate and material data available
Responsibilities are clearly distributed
Data is uploaded consistently and on time
Gaps and quality issues are tracked and improved over time
1. Set up a data collection team
Every company is structured differently, but data is almost always decentralised. To get started:
Identify the right people: Look for team members who have access to the data, understand the business activity, and have the capacity to help.
Assess capacity and motivation: Prioritise colleagues who are already involved in sustainability initiatives or operations, and have the time and interest to contribute regularly.
Here’s a sample breakdown of who might be responsible for different data types:
Data Type | Recommended Contact |
Office data, energy use, WFH | Office Manager or HR/People team |
Employee numbers and patterns | HR/People team |
Vehicle fleet | Fleet Manager (internal or external) |
Servers (cloud/hosted) | IT Systems Administrator or CTO |
Business travel | Operations team or Travel Manager |
Employee commuting | HR/People team (or run a short staff survey) |
Waste | Landlord, Cleaning Staff, or Green Team |
Purchased goods and services | Finance or Procurement team |
Once your team is assembled, invite them to the Plan A Platform as Carbon Manager Contributors so they can upload files, access support, and use help centre resources directly.
2. Build your data collection plan
A good data collection plan sets expectations and ensures smooth execution. Include the following elements:
List of material emissions categories
Data collectors for each category
Required data points and formats
Data sources (e.g. invoices, systems, utility bills)
Deadlines and upload timelines
Use our Step-by-Step Category Guides to determine what data is needed for each emissions category and which calculation method is recommended. Then, send these guides to the relevant data collectors to aid their collection.
3. Focus on data quality
Understanding what makes high-quality data will help you prioritise efforts and spot gaps:
Concept | Why it matters |
Materiality | Focus your efforts on business activities and categories that have the biggest impact. |
Primary data | Always aim for actual data from your operations (invoices, logs) over national averages. |
Recommended methods | These produce the most accurate results. Check what’s required to use them. |
Data gaps | Missing data points that need to be filled. |
Non-applicable data | Categories or fields that don’t apply to your organisation — these are OK to skip. |
4. Standardise your internal processes
To make data collection repeatable and scalable:
Label uploaded files clearly with date range and source
Use the Overview tab in the Platform to monitor which months, categories, or facilities are missing data
Review the Activity Log to keep track of progress.
5. Engage and train your stakeholders
The success of your data collection process depends on stakeholder buy-in.
Explain the why: Share your carbon footprint results and explain how better data improves accuracy and supports decarbonisation.
Train contributors: Use help centre guides and platform features to build their knowledge and confidence.
Set shared KPIs: If possible, align data collection responsibilities with team OKRs or sustainability goals.
6. Use technology where possible
Automation can reduce manual work and errors:
Connect data systems like ERP, travel management, or fleet management tools
Use IoT devices in your facilities to capture energy use
Explore integrations or APIs to streamline repetitive tasks
7. Commit to continuous improvement
Over time, aim to:
Replace national averages with primary data
Close data gaps across all months and facilities
Improve internal workflows and documentation
Stay up to date with Plan A platform features and releases.