Primary Data and Secondary Data

Primary data is the data provided by the emissions' sources themselves (e.g. suppliers, logistics companies etc.), and is the most accurate and authentic data. Thus, it is the one with the highest quality. However, obtaining information from suppliers' emissions is often challenging and can be lengthy due to complex supply chains and the lack of transparency. That is where secondary data or "reference data" as we call it at sustamize, enters into play. Secondary data will complete the gap of missing primary data with information stemming from a variety of sources such as published scientific research, public and official national statistics, reports, company websites, and existing LCI databases (Ciroth et al., 2019).

The problem with secondary data is that CO2 values are still often missing or incomplete for specific materials or processes, as secondary databases are often outdated and do not reflect the latest published results, updates, etc. For instance, countries' energy mixes are rapidly changing according to technical, economic, and geo-political developments, as shown by the current energy crisis and the massive investments in renewables, which is why updating information are all the more essential.