In the absence of using a dedicated framework like Zero Pro, many companies are relying on using tools such as Excel to manage the data they need to progress towards their Net Zero goals.

This as a very familar solution for many given the cost of changing ERP systems is costly and takes a long time to implement.

Whilst Excel is a great tool for many things, it is not a great tool for managing complex data sets that are interrelated and need to be updated frequently. Not only does it create significant operational risk due to the lack of version control, it also creates significant cost as the data needs to be manually collated and reported on.

Over the last few years we have consulted with major buyers and suppliers to understand their painpoints and ensure we design and develop a product that can target, and either eliminate or significantly reduce the risk and cost. Here are the main areas where Zero Pro can help:

• Out of the box reference data that is updated regularly. No longer do you need to either purchase this data or manage it manually. This is a significant cost saving and allows you to focus resources on more value add activities.
• Simplfy the activities your suppliers need to undertake by using the Zero Pro platform. It removes the need to pass Excel sheets back and forth, which is a significant time saving for both parties. This also reduces the risk of errors and miscommunication, and ensures that the data is integrated directly in the core data automatically.
• Build in version control and change management takes the headache away from worrying about whether you are working on the latest version of the data. This is a significant risk reduction.
• Automate external data reporting by either using our pre-built reports, requesting a dedicated report or using our API to extract the data you need. We see many companies allocated significant resources to manually collating data for external reporting.
• Visualise the data in a way that makes it easy to understand and share with stakeholders. This is a significant time saving and allows you to focus on the analysis rather than the presentation.
• Gain access to AI driven insights that help you understand the data and make better decisions. This is a significant cost saving as it allows you to focus on the analysis rather than the data collection.
• Be able to search for alternative suppliers by commodity code or goods type that may be in a position to provide alternate sourcing of your goods. Suppliers can advertise alternate supply chains that are independently certified that demonstrate how they could execute an activity for you.
• Improve the working capital of the supply chain using the Zero Pro invoicing tools.
• Benchmark activities against a consolidated view of other suppliers to identify areas for improvement.
• Provide suppliers with access to reporting tools that allow them to simplify their own scope 3 regulatory reporting requirements.
• Take copies of the data and model up potential changes to ensure that what you are considering is going to have the desired impact on your supply chain.
• Gain a deeper understanding of associated risks such as tariffs and country concentration to enable you to make more holistic decisions about what needs to be done to improve the supply chain.