Research reveals demand for increased data but highlights transparency and sharing obstacles  

Bright Data, the global industry leader in innovating solutions to make public web data accessible to all, has today released research that highlights the continued shift towards sustainability and the crucial role web data will play in this. Achieving sustainable goals is important for businesses, no matter the industry they operate in, and the research, carried out by Vanson Bourne, found that almost two-thirds (60%) of businesses said environmental considerations are very important to the way their business operates.   

Sustainability is now a clear cornerstone of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments for businesses across the US and UK. Eight in 10 businesses revealed they are currently working with either public or private partners to use data to help tackle climate change – with over a third (36%) working with local public authorities. In fact, central government departments are the most common partners for UK organizations (32%) to work with when it comes to using data to tackle climate change.   

This highlights the growing importance of data when tackling sustainability challenges, and due to the large amounts of publicly available web data being generated every day, this trend will continue to grow. However, despite the promise that data-sharing brings, over half of businesses (55%) don’t have access to the right data to make the necessary decisions when it comes to environmental considerations. As a result, 64% of organizations recognize that having staff with time and budget dedicated to improving access to data would help meet their green objectives.    

When it comes to the willingness to share company-generated data, the research also showed a reluctance from businesses in both regions. This is particularly an issue in the UK, where organizations are more apprehensive about sharing environment-related organizational data with researchers or the public. Almost a quarter of businesses surveyed in the UK (24%) reported there would be a possibility of them sharing such data, but they would need to know more information first. Meanwhile, 11% of US respondents agreed that they’d be hesitant to do so without knowing more.   

Further key findings found:   

• Only 31% of UK organizations say they have all the access to the data (external & internal) they need to make good decisions with considerations to the environment, compared to 54% of US organizations.

• 46% of US organizations said they are completely transparent and provide all the data they have on the environmental impacts of their business to clients/customers. Only 31% of UK organizations said the same.

• Local councils or local government departments are the most common partners for US organizations (42%) to work with when it comes to using data to tackle climate change.

“Data plays an important role in achieving sustainability goals, but for this to be successful, businesses, the public sector, and governments must make the most of the data being generated,” commented Or Lenchner, CEO, Bright Data. The UK government has begun this journey with early progress made on its National Data Strategy. However, more progress must continue to be made in 2022, and external as well as internal data sources should be utilized to reach the necessary environmental goals and achieve greater sustainability. Data is at the heart of almost every industry sector’s decision-making process, and it must be utilized to its full potential to meet ESG objectives,” he concluded.   

The Bright Initiative by Bright Data partners with academic institutions, governments, and businesses worldwide to promote public wellbeing, environmental causes, and data-driven skill sets through education and research.   

To learn more about how data is playing a role in the fight against climate change or to join The Bright Initiative, visit: https://brightinitiative.com/

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