getting real + practical about emissions, data integrity and building attuned climate strategies
Insights From Our “Climate Action Office Hours”
published 6.4.25
In our recent Climate Action Office Hours, we skipped the typical “how to measure” conversations and went straight into the realities of climate data collection, analysis and treating GHG inventories as a tool for building attuned and practical climate action strategies. Our session focused on the tough questions sustainability leaders are met with day-to-day: what’s getting in the way of good data? How can we use it to drive value? And what does it take to build a credible and implementable climate action strategy?
Here are some of our insights:
Methodology Changes Are Hard — But Necessary
Many organizations hit a brick wall when they improve their data methodology and suddenly lose the apples-to-apples comparison they had previously relied on. It can be frustrating and often feels like a step back — perhaps you were well ahead of your climate journey, and suddenly, you’re jolted back to the beginning. But this isn’t failure; it’s progress. We should remember that the more granular your GHG emissions inventory data, the better equipped you will be to make the most relevant decisions about your climate action journey.
A shift in methodology, especially one driven by better data or material organizational changes like mergers and acquisitions, often requires rebaselining — and that’s a natural and positive thing. It strengthens the integrity of your emissions inventory and helps you stand behind your claims in future years. It also allows you to really understand what the core of the business looks like, even in the face of broader strategic business shifts.
Climate Work Is Highly Relational
Data doesn’t collect itself, at least not all of it does, and even still, it doesn’t clean itself either. One of the trickiest and most overlooked parts of this work is relationship management and engaging internal and external stakeholders to get a hold of emissions-related data. Whether it’s facilities, finance, or supply chain, climate leaders and teams need to pull in partners across the organization and turn emissions tracking into a shared responsibility and goal. That can often mean overcommunicating, doing it proactively, building long-term trust, and finding internal champions, especially those who can gain an understanding and then translate emissions data into business value across the organization.
One success story involved untangling business travel emissions spread across multiple systems, where double-counting and undercounting were rampant. The fix? Sitting down with the people managing the expense systems and collating the data together. Excel spreadsheets are not glamorous, but they are still essential.
Climate Strategy Requires Understanding and Communicating Both the Quantitative AND Qualitative
Changes in emissions can come from countless factors: shifts in accounting methodology, leveraging more relevant emissions factors, operational changes, technology updates, and more. There’s rarely a simple one-to-one cause-and-effect. And so, teams should use emissions data directionally — to spot high-emission areas of the business and use those to guide transition efforts. Year-over-year changes communicate only the high-level shifts in what is happening in your organization from an emissions perspective; while climate strategies are built upon quantitative measures, they are made meaningful through qualitative explanations of what the business will change and why.
The most successful teams aren’t just purely measuring emissions; they’re connecting the dots. They’re using data to uncover inefficiencies, assess future climate risk exposures, and align emissions reduction goals with growth strategies. For example, breaking down travel emissions by purpose (revenue-generating, non-billable, training), assessing building emissions in high-risk climate zones based on actual employee use, or evaluating the emissions impact of upgrading servers or shifting to the cloud – these insights help prioritize meaningful reductions and build resilience into the company’s overall strategy.
Finally, one of the most practical insights was this: creating space for best-practice workshops internally can help build that shared understanding. It’s where departments and people can align on goals and leverage existing systems. Climate action planning is equal parts understanding data, using it, and communicating it in a way that moves your organization forward. Done right, climate data can reveal where you're inefficient, where you're exposed, and where you're ready to lead transitions.
Missed this session? Stay tuned — there’s more to come. And if you’re facing data headaches, relationship-building hurdles, or climate action planning challenges, you're not alone. Follow qb. for more insights on climate strategy and building real value from your sustainability efforts.
Curious about our climate services? Let’s start a conversation.
by Erica Chan Glueck
Director, Climate Advisory
