What We Learned About GHG Data Management: Insights from the SBC GHG Working Group
By: Sustainable Business Council
Collecting greenhouse gas (GHG) data is rarely straightforward. Whether you're tracking emissions for a single facility or managing reporting across hundreds of global sites, organizations are facing growing pressure from customers, investors, and regulators to understand and report their environmental impacts.
At the Sustainable Business Council's recent GHG Working Group meeting, sustainability professionals from manufacturing, construction, and other industries came together to share what's working, what's not, and where they see the biggest opportunities moving forward. The discussion reinforced one of the greatest benefits of SBC membership: learning directly from peers who are tackling the same challenges you are.
One Size Doesn't Fit All
One of the clearest takeaways was that there is no universal approach to GHG data collection.
For some organizations, particularly those with smaller teams, spreadsheets remain the most practical solution. Companies are building inventories using utility bills, invoices, and Excel-based tracking systems, prioritizing simplicity and affordability while their reporting needs continue to evolve.
At the other end of the spectrum, larger global companies are investing in integrated technology stacks that automate data collection, emissions calculations, and reporting dashboards across hundreds of facilities. These systems help manage increasing reporting expectations while improving data accuracy and transparency.
The lesson? The right solution depends on your organization's size, resources, and reporting requirements.
Better Data Leads to Better Decisions
Several participants shared how refining their data collection strategies uncovered surprising insights about where emissions were actually occurring.
For one construction company, transitioning from a financial-control approach to an operational-control approach revealed that job sites, not buildings or offices, accounted for the majority of Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. That discovery shifted attention toward solutions such as hybrid generators, remote monitoring technologies, and alternative fuels.
The conversation highlighted an important truth: organizations cannot effectively reduce emissions until they understand where those emissions originate.
Scope 3 Continues to Be the Biggest Challenge
For manufacturers in the group, Scope 3 emissions remain the largest obstacle and opportunity.
Participants discussed how emissions associated with purchased materials, suppliers, transportation, product use, and end-of-life management often dwarf direct operational emissions. As a result, organizations are focusing more attention on supplier engagement, circular economy strategies, recycled material content, and customer-facing sustainability tools.
Many organizations are building supplier scorecards, conducting sustainability surveys, and working to improve visibility throughout their supply chains.
As one participant noted, the challenge is no longer simply collecting supplier data. The real question is how to turn that information into meaningful performance improvements.
Customer and Regulatory Expectations Are Raising the Bar
Across industries, participants agreed that external pressures continue to accelerate sustainability reporting efforts.
Customer requests, RFP requirements, sustainability questionnaires, disclosure regulations, and evolving reporting standards are pushing organizations to formalize data collection processes and strengthen their reporting capabilities.
For many companies, the business case for better GHG data management is no longer theoretical. It's becoming a competitive necessity.
Looking Ahead
The group identified several topics for future SBC working group discussions, including:
Practical AI applications for sustainability data collection and management
Low-cost technologies and metering solutions
Scope 1 decarbonization strategies
Supplier engagement and Scope 3 verification
Packaging regulations and extended producer responsibility (EPR)
Small business and advanced practitioner learning tracks
These conversations reflect the real-world challenges organizations are navigating every day and demonstrate the value of learning from peers who are further along the journey.
Why Join an SBC Working Group?
The GHG Working Group is just one example of how SBC members learn, share ideas, and solve problems together.
Our working groups provide a trusted space where sustainability professionals can:
Learn from peers across industries
Share practical tools, resources, and lessons learned
Explore emerging regulations and trends
Discuss challenges in a candid, non-competitive environment
Build relationships with others doing similar work
Whether you're just beginning your sustainability journey or managing complex reporting requirements, you'll find valuable insights and connections through SBC's member network.
Become a Member
The most valuable part of this conversation wasn't the technology or reporting frameworks. It was the willingness of members to openly share their experiences, successes, and challenges so others could learn from them.
That's what makes the Sustainable Business Council community unique.
Interested in joining future working group discussions? Become an SBC member and gain access to peer learning opportunities, exclusive events, practical resources, and a network of organizations working together to create a more resilient and sustainable business community.
Learn more about SBC membership and join the conversation today.
