Setting up CO2 correctly: roles, processes, and responsibilities

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For many companies, recording and reducing CO2 is no longer a voluntary sustainability issue. Regulatory requirements, customer inquiries, and internal climate targets make it clear that CO2 is a necessary and ongoing business process.

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To ensure that CO2 do not get bogged down in day-to-day operations, a clear structure is needed from the outset, particularly with regard to roles, processes, and responsibilities.

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Why a structured CO2 is crucial

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CO2 is generated in many areas of a company: in energy supply, purchasing, logistics, the vehicle fleet, or at suppliers. Without clear responsibilities and defined processes, the following can quickly arise:

• incomplete data
• inconsistent calculations
• high coordination effort
• limited comparability over time

A structured CO2 ensures that emissions are systematically recorded, evaluated, and further developed —rather than being collected just once.

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CO2 accounting is not a one-off project, but a process

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Especially in the beginning, many companies work with individual Excel spreadsheets or decentralized solutions. This can be useful for initial analyses. However, as the scope grows, it quickly becomes apparent that CO2:

• must be updated regularly
• affects several departments
• should be verifiable and traceable

This means that the CO2 is developing into a continuous process that requires clear structures.

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Key roles in the CO2 project

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A successful CO2 depends on clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Only when each function knows its tasks can data be reliably collected, processes adhered to, and measures implemented.

Typically, the following roles are involved:

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CO2/ Sustainability Manager

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• Bear overall responsibility for methodology, schedule, and quality of CO2
• Coordinate the departments involved and ensure smooth processes
• Ensure that data remains consistent and traceable across multiple reporting years

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Specialist departments (e.g., purchasing, HR, operations, logistics)

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• Provide the relevant activity data that forms the basis for CO2
• Check and validate the data to ensure quality and reliability
• Implement specific reduction measures within their area of responsibility

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Management & Strategy

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• Set objectives for the CO2 project and define priorities
• Integrate the results into corporate strategy and decision-making cycles
• Support implementation through resource provision and governance

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External partners (especially audit)

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• Validate results and ensure verifiability for audits
• Support with complex reports or external requirements

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Clear processes for CO2 CO2

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In addition to clearly defined roles, structured processes are at the heart of a successful CO2. Only when companies consistently establish standardized procedures can data be reliably collected, compared, and used for decision-making. The most important process steps can be divided into four areas:

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1. Data collection

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At the outset, it must be clearly defined which emission sources are to be recorded, including direct CO2(Scope 1), indirect energy emissions (Scope 2), and, where relevant, Scope 3 emissions from the supply chain or product use. It is equally important to determine who will provide the data and how often it will be updated.

Companies should ensure that the data is reliable, consistent, and complete. The clearer the responsibilities, the less effort is required for tracking and plausibility checks.

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2. Calculation & Methodology

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A CO2 requires uniform calculation standards; the recommendation is to use the GHG Protocol for accounting. All departments must use the same emission factors and assumptions so that the results are consistent and comparable.

Transparency in methodology is crucial: every calculation should be documented so that it is clear how a value was arrived at. This prevents misinterpretations and facilitates subsequent audits.

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3. Validation & Approval

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The recorded data should be systematically checked. Plausibility checks help to identify outliers or incorrect entries at an early stage. Cross-departmental coordination ensures that different perspectives are taken into account.

Finally, management must approve the results to ensure accountability and governance. This is the only way to guarantee that the data is reliable as a basis for decisions and reports.

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4. Documentation & further development

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A CO2 is not a one-time undertaking, but rather a continuous process. Therefore, the traceability of changes over time is crucial. Any adjustments to data, assumptions, or methodology should be documented to ensure long-term comparability.

Based on this documented data, companies can derive targeted reduction measures and measure progress. At the same time, this creates a solid basis for audits, external reports, or integration into sustainability strategies.

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Clearly defining responsibilities – the key to successful CO2

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A common stumbling block in CO2 is the unclear distribution of responsibilities. If it is not clearly defined who provides which data, who checks calculations, and who approves decisions, errors, delays, and inconsistencies can quickly arise. Data is collected "on the side," processes remain opaque, and the quality of CO2 suffers in the long term.

Clear responsibilities are therefore essential to ensure that the CO2 is efficient, transparent, and reproducible. They ensure that:

• Data is provided on time and no gaps occur
• Minimizing queries and coordination efforts
• Processes are repeatable and deliver consistent results over many years
• the collection and validation of CO2 remains auditable both internally and externally

The definition of roles, processes, and responsibilities together form the basic structure CO2 every CO2. The roles determine who performs which tasks, the processes ensure that data is systematically recorded and checked, and the responsibilities create commitment and traceability.

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CO2Software a link between roles and processes

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When a CO2 becomes more complex, for example due to growing amounts of data, the involvement of multiple departments, or increasing requirements for reports and audits, manual solutions such as Excel quickly reach their limits. This is where specialized CO2 orSoftware offers Software advantages because it seamlessly connects roles, processes, and responsibilities.

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Making roles and responsibilities visible

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Each task can be assigned directly to a person or department, so it is clear who is responsible for what. The Software that responsibilities are not only defined once, but remain permanently traceable and verifiable, a key factor in ensuring data quality and reliability.

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Standardize and automate processes

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Data collection, calculation, plausibility checks, and approvals can be mapped using defined workflows. TheSoftware that each step is reproducible and that responsibilities within the processes are clearly distributed. This reduces manual coordination efforts and prevents gaps or inconsistencies.

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Ensure traceability and auditability

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All changes to data, calculations, or assumptions are automatically documented. This means that CO2 is not only verifiable, but also consistent over the long term. This makes internal and external audits much easier and builds trust in the quality of the information.

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Facilitate cross-departmental collaboration

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CO2 is generated in various areas of a company—from purchasing and logistics to HR and sustainability. With CO2 orSoftware , teamsSoftware centrally on one platform. Coordination is transparent, duplication of work is avoided, and information is available to all parties involved at all times.

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Conclusion: Successfully setting up CO2

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A successful CO2 depends on clearly defined roles, structured processes, and unambiguous responsibilities. This is the only way to reliably collect and verify data and use it for decision-making.

Excel or manual tables can be helpful at the beginning, but quickly reach their limits as soon as the amount of data grows, multiple departments become involved, or audit requirements increase. CO2 orSoftware an efficient solution here: it connects roles and processes, documents changes in a traceable manner, and enables cross-departmental collaboration.

Companies that Software on structured processes and suitable Software from the outset not only achieve high data quality, but also create a robust basis for reports, audits, and strategic decisions. This transforms CO2 from a complex mandatory task into a controllable, repeatable process that ensures long-term efficiency, transparency, and planning reliability.

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