Data Carbon Scorecard

Forecast the data CO2 footprint of your project BEFORE it begins. The easy-to-use tool can be completed in a matter of minutes and is designed to facilitate discussions about the potential environmental ramifications of data decisions.

How to use it

Step 1

Identify the specific project you wish to undertake, such as assessing customer satisfaction.

Step 2

Carefully consider each of the nine questions and critically evaluate your answers. For instance:

  • reflect on whether you truly require all of the available data sets
  • the necessity of real-time data
  • optimal data storage options
  • and the minimum analytical requirements necessary to generate a report that offers sufficient information for decision-making purposes.

Who should use it

The tool caters to all stakeholders engaged in the early stages of project initiation, ranging from the problem owner to the dedicated team responsible for constructing the final report.

How do you start?

  • Access the complimentary data carbon scorecard
  • Begin by addressing each of the nine questions
  • Based on your responses, each question will receive a red, amber, or green score
  • Then, utilise the straight-forward calculation outlined in the document to obtain an overall rating for your project:
    • Rating 7+: While the project has some impact on the environment, it is deemed acceptable to proceed.
    • Rating 4 to 6: The project has a moderate CO2 impact, and although it can proceed, it is advisable to explore greener alternatives and consider steps to minimise its environmental footprint.
    • Rating 0 to 3: The project exhibits a significant CO2 footprint, prompting the need to evaluate whether a more environmentally friendly dataset can be obtained or if adjustments can be made to the problem statement, such as reassessing the necessity for real-time analytics.

Completion of the scorecard for every project enables an assessment of the data CO2 credentials of every project, allowing a visual comparison in the form of a simple data CO2 heatmap.