Thinklytics

Investor-Owned Utility · Energy & Utilities · Atlanta, GA · 12 weeks

ESG reporting data foundation built

An investor-owned utility struggled with fragmented ESG data scattered across 14 departments and no governance, causing an 18-week annual sustainability report process. We created a centralized ESG data system and automated the reporting pipeline, cutting preparation time to 3 weeks and enabling quarterly ESG reports for the first time.

Challenge

The sustainability team gathered data from 14 departments through emails and spreadsheets. Each department measured emissions, water use, and safety differently. Reconciling this data took 18 weeks and still resulted in audit-flagged discrepancies. We streamlined data collection and standardized measurements to eliminate these issues.

Approach

We created an ESG data governance framework to standardize measurement methods across 14 departments, using GRI and SASB standards as the basis. We replaced manual email and spreadsheet data collection with an automated pipeline. Then, we developed a reporting platform that pulls from one certified data source to produce the annual sustainability report and quarterly ESG updates.

Outcome

We cut the annual sustainability report prep time from 18 weeks to 3 by streamlining data collection and automating key calculations. We launched quarterly ESG reports to meet investor demands for timely updates. Our changes eliminated all 14 external auditor discrepancies in the first year. The utility also aligned with SASB standards for the first time, improving reporting accuracy and credibility.

How we brought 14 teams together to cut mistakes and keep everything tight

Here’s the deal: 14 different departments were all tracking emissions in their own unique ways. The facilities team and the fleet team? Each had their own spin on Scope 1 emissions, and neither was sticking to the GRI standards. So, we brought everyone into the same room for a series of coordination sessions. The goal? Simple, get everyone using one consistent measurement method. By the end, we had all 47 ESG metrics perfectly aligned with both GRI and SASB standards.

How We Cut Down Manual Data Entry by Automating Data Collection

Manually pulling all that data was a total pain, it set us back by 18 weeks. So, we created an automated pipeline that pulled data straight from the operational systems. We also got rid of the old manual inputs and switched to structured web forms. The result? What used to take 12 weeks now takes just 2.

Results

  • 18 to 3 weeks Annual sustainability report preparation
  • 14 to 0 External auditor discrepancy findings
  • Quarterly ESG reporting frequency enabled for first time
  • 14 departments Standardized under unified ESG data governance

We used to spend 18 weeks preparing our sustainability report, and we still had problems with the auditors. Thinklytics helped us set up a solid data system that cut the time down to 3 weeks and fixed all the auditor issues. Now, we can publish quarterly ESG updates, which our investors have been asking for.

Chief Sustainability Officer, Investor-Owned Utility

In the client's terms

The question

Which number is right, and who gets to decide?

The situation

The sustainability team gathered ESG data from 14 departments by email and spreadsheet, and each department measured emissions, water use and safety differently. Reconciliation took 18 weeks and still produced discrepancies the external auditor flagged.

What we found

Collection was the visible burden and measurement was the actual problem. Fourteen departments were each measuring correctly by their own method, so the 18 weeks were spent reconciling methods rather than numbers, and the differences came back every year.

What it produced

Annual report preparation fell from 18 weeks to 3. Quarterly ESG reporting became possible for the first time. All 14 external auditor discrepancies were eliminated in the first year, and the utility reported against SASB for the first time.

The roadmap

An ESG governance framework standardised measurement methodology across all 14 departments against GRI and SASB rather than picking one department's approach. Collection moved from email to an automated pipeline. The annual report and new quarterly updates are both generated from one certified source.

The work behind this result

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Frequently asked questions

Why does ESG reporting take so long to produce?

Because departments measure differently. Fourteen departments at this investor-owned utility each had their own method for emissions, water use and safety, so 18 weeks went on reconciling methods rather than numbers, and the differences returned every year.

How do you eliminate ESG auditor findings?

Standardise the measurement, not the collection. All 47 ESG metrics here were aligned to GRI and SASB across the fourteen departments, which eliminated all 14 external auditor discrepancies in the first year.

Can ESG reporting move from annual to quarterly?

Once it generates from a certified source, yes. Annual report preparation fell from 18 weeks to 3 at this utility and quarterly ESG updates became possible for the first time, alongside its first SASB-aligned disclosure.