Data Integrity

Data Integrity (DI)

Data integrity (DI) in sustainability refers to the accuracy, consistency, and reliability of data used to measure, analyze, and report sustainability performance. It ensures that environmental, social, and economic impacts are tracked transparently and credibly across an organization’s operations.

Why data integrity matters in sustainability

Without accurate and consistent data, it becomes difficult to:

• Assess the true environmental, social, and economic impact of an organization
• Identify areas for improvement in emissions, energy use, or resource efficiency
• Build trust and transparency in sustainability and ESG reporting

That is why data integrity is essential for ensuring credible and verifiable sustainability results. Reliable data supports informed decision-making and strengthens confidence in a company’s sustainability claims.

How to ensure data integrity

To maintain data integrity in sustainability, organizations should establish:

• Clear data collection protocols across departments and suppliers
• Quality control measures to ensure data accuracy and consistency
• Verification and audit procedures, both internal and external, to validate data reliability
• Transparent data management systems that allow traceability and documentation of all reported values

By implementing these practices, companies can ensure that sustainability data is accurate, verifiable, and aligned with reporting standards such as CSRD, GHG Protocol, or ISO 14064.