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Data quality: Primary, Secondary and Proxy
Data quality: Primary, Secondary and Proxy

Keep track of the reliability of your data entries

Updated over 2 weeks ago

Data quality is a qualifier you can add to your log entries to track whether the source of this data is reliable and has access to the specificities of the activities you’re assessing. This is used to ensure that your Corporate Carbon Footprint is calculated based on relevant data, and it is required by diverse reporting frameworks, including the CSRD.

1. Data quality: Why we offer a way to track it

The CSRD encourages companies to maximize the use of primary data to enhance the accuracy and transparency of environmental impact reporting. Specific CSRD requirements include:

  • Primary Data Preference: Companies must prioritize primary data wherever possible, especially for key performance indicators (KPIs) that have significant environmental impact, such as GHG emissions (Scope 1, Scope 2, and where possible, Scope 3).

  • Scope 3 Emissions: For upstream and downstream activities, CSRD expects companies to engage with value chain stakeholders to gather primary data. However, secondary data may be used when supplier-specific data or data specific to the actors downstream in your value chain cannot be obtained.

  • Disclosure of Data Quality: Companies are required to disclose the quality of the data used, including how much of the data is primary versus secondary. Transparency on data sources is crucial for regulatory compliance.

Beyond the CSRD, more and more voluntary disclosure requirements and carbon assessment frameworks expect the reporting company to favor primary data when possible. These include the GHG Protocol Corporate Value Chain Accounting and Reporting Standard, CDP, the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials and the Science-Based Targets initiative.

Note that the data quality tag is a tool to track the data entry, it does not by itself represent the relevance of the calculation method.

A spend-based log entry, using the exact amount of money spent, should have a Primary Data Quality. It will be reported as having a Primary Data source, but poor quality emission factor.

2. Primary, Secondary & Proxy - Definition and examples

Type

Primary

Secondary

Proxy

Definition

Data collected directly on the activity being assessed.

Data is sourced from external entities, such as industry averages or published reports.

Substitute for missing primary data, often based on analogous situations or extrapolated data

Processes for collection

Gathered through measurements, surveys, or direct observation.

Obtained from published studies, databases, or industry reports.

Estimated from analogous datasets or modeled from related metrics

Advantages

High accuracy and relevance to specific operations; tailored to the organization’s needs.

Cost-effective; can provide benchmarks and context; easier to access.

Useful for filling gaps in data; can provide preliminary insights.

Challenges

Resource-intensive to collect; may require time and expertise.

May lack specificity; can be outdated or less relevant

May not accurately represent actual conditions; higher uncertainty.

Examples

Fuel consumption logs, production data, employee travel records.

Average process energy and material usage, academic study of generic activity

Extrapolation of activities over non-measured processes, based on measured analogous processes

3. How to add the information to Cozero?

Scenario 1: Add quality information on new log entries

  • In Cozero, you will see the option to select the quality of the data in the main settings of a log entry.

  • In the new Bulk Import template, you will see the option in the Sheet Data input, column AB.

Scenario 2: Review the data quality of existing log entries (From December 5th onwards)

Currently, all old log entries have been assigned the Unknown or unverified origin value for their data quality property.

If you wish to update historical logs with the data quality information, please follow these steps:

  1. Download a list from the Log Entries Overview table, including Log entry ID information.

  2. In a spreadsheet, review your log entries based on the input value. Use the table of definitions and example in this article when in doubt. Make sure the list includes at least the log entry ID and the data quality you wish to add to your logs. Also ensure that one of the four options we offer in the bulk import template is selected:

    • Primary

    • Secondary

    • Proxy

    • Unknown

  3. Send this file to your Climate Success Manager via email, or via the Cozero Support green chat button. We will take care of the rest.

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