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Form Your Data Collection Team

Tips on how to project manage data collection

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Written by Gemma - Plan A Support
Updated over 2 weeks ago

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.

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