As climate-related uncertainty has increased, investors have not sat by idly. To lead the effort toward improved climate-related risk management and disclosure, they have formed a range of initiatives, including the Global Investor Coalition on Climate Change, the Investor Agenda, the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change, Climate Action 100+, and the Transition Pathway Initiative, among others. Importantly, these initiatives are not small, niche groups, but rather represent broad swaths of the global investment community. For example, Climate Action 100+ is made up of 545 global investors across 33 markets with more than $52 trillion in assets under management.

These initiatives and others recognize that measuring and managing climate risks and opportunities, will require greater transparency for example, through corporate reporting in line with the recommendations of the Task Force for Climate-related Financial Disclosures.  Today, all but five G20 countries have mandatory corporate reporting schemes in place for climate-related risks. However, requirements vary widely in scope, application, and intended reporting channel. This presents challenges for investors, who require some degree of standardized information to accurately assess risks and allocate capital across global portfolios. It also creates challenges for multinational companies that must comply with the existing assortment of mandatory requirements and voluntary initiatives.

Although progress is being made in this regard, analysis of the current state of companies’ climate-related disclosure has shown that while the volume of information has increased— particularly among larger, more well-resourced firms— the information lacks comparability, consistency, and a clear connection to financial implications. That’s where Greenhouse Gas Protocol can help.

Greenhouse Gas Protocol arose when World Resources Institute and World Business Council for Sustainable Development recognized the need for an international standard for corporate greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting and reporting in the late 1990s. GHG Protocol establishes comprehensive global standardized frameworks to measure and manage GHG emissions from private and public sector operations, value chains and mitigation actions. GHG Protocol supplies the world’s most widely used greenhouse gas accounting standards. The Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard provides the accounting platform for virtually every corporate GHG reporting program in the world.

THG Energy Solutions provides utility data management services that adheres to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol to align customers with credible emissions reporting requirements. We automate a data processing strategy to track emissions for multi-facility portfolios with accurate, transparent, and timely reporting requirements. THG approaches emissions management with accounting-level rigor and works with clients to evaluate gaps, cite all emissions sources, apply custom emissions factors and contractual instruments, and assess C02e KPIs.

“The alphabet soup of ESG frameworks and standards can be overwhelming, but since we follow the GHG Protocol our methodology supports all disclosure protocols,” says THG’s VP of Sustainability Services Chad Burden. “All ESG and enterprise sustainability efforts need reliable data collection and processing to continuously track emissions. THG’s been serving multi-facility customers with accurate, consistent, and timely utility bill administration since 2009.”

We look forward to the increased support this new solution brings to our partners and customers.  This offering was thoughtfully designed to help overcome the real data challenges that come with engaging in emissions data collection and reporting.  Please reach out to set up a time to have a conversation with us, and learn more about how THG’s Emissions Data Management Solution can support you and your organization in your sustainability efforts.