- 05/06/2026
- Posted by: Ildar Usmanov
- Categories: ESG Reports, ESG Training
Why ESG Managers Need Data Owners for ESG Data Collection
Many companies appoint an ESG manager and expect the sustainability report to follow, especially when sustainability reporting becomes part of management, buyer or regulatory expectations. For Malaysian listed companies and many suppliers, Bursa Malaysia sustainability reporting requirements have also made ESG information more visible to boards, management and external stakeholders.
One person coordinates the report. One person collects the information. One person follows up with departments, consultants and management.
class=”isSelectedEnd”>This may look practical on paper.
In reality, ESG data collection does not sit with one person.
Energy information may sit with Facilities. Fuel records may sit with Operations. Employee information may sit with HR. Procurement data may sit with Purchasing. Financial assumptions may sit with Finance. Supplier information may sit outside the company.
This is where ESG reporting becomes difficult.
The ESG manager may be responsible for the report, but the evidence sits across the organisation.
ESG data collection is not only an ESG task
Many ESG managers do not struggle because they lack knowledge.
They struggle because the organisation has not prepared the people who own the information.
Internal data owners may not understand why the information is requested, how it will be used, or why timing, consistency and evidence matter. As a result, ESG data collection can become slow, fragmented and difficult to explain.
For CFOs, HR managers and senior management, this is not only an ESG issue. It is a reporting capability issue.
If only the ESG manager understands the reporting requirement, the company remains dependent on one coordinator trying to collect information from departments that may not understand their role.
Why training only the ESG team may not be enough
ESG reporting training is often focused on the sustainability or ESG team.
That can help the ESG manager understand reporting concepts. But it does not solve the internal data collection problem.
If HR, Finance, Operations, Procurement or Facilities teams do not understand their role, the same reporting issues can repeat every year.
Data may arrive late. Figures may change after drafting. Supporting evidence may be incomplete. Departments may use different definitions. Management may need to approve statements without a clear view of where the information came from.
This creates pressure on the ESG manager and weakens the reporting process.
For ESG training to be practical, it should include the internal teams that create, approve or explain the data used in the report.
What this means for CFOs and HR managers
For CFOs, ESG data collection is connected to reporting control, assumptions, consistency and management review.
For HR managers, ESG reporting often relies on workforce, training, diversity, health and safety, employee development and policy-related information.
These areas cannot be treated as simple data requests from the ESG department.
They are part of the company’s disclosure record.
When Finance and HR understand how their information contributes to ESG reporting, the ESG manager is no longer carrying the process alone. The company becomes better prepared to provide information that is clearer, more consistent and easier to support.
What better internal readiness looks like
A company does not need every department to become an ESG expert.
But relevant data owners should understand their responsibility in the reporting process.
They should know why ESG data collection matters, what type of information they may need to support, and why evidence discipline is important before information is included in a sustainability report.
This is enough to improve the reporting process without turning ESG training into a technical exercise for every department.
The objective is practical: help the right internal people understand their role so the ESG manager is not left alone to chase, interpret and defend information from across the organisation.
How SuSciCo can support
SuSciCo supports Malaysian companies with ESG reporting training, sustainability reporting support and ESG disclosure review.
Our ESG reporting training can support ESG managers, CFOs, HR managers and internal data owners who need to understand their role in ESG data collection and sustainability reporting.
SuSciCo does not provide statutory assurance, audit, certification, legal compliance confirmation, rating guarantees or guaranteed acceptance of ESG disclosures.
Our role is to help companies improve internal readiness, clarify reporting expectations, strengthen evidence discipline and support responsible ESG disclosure within clear professional boundaries.
Need ESG data collection support?
If your ESG manager is carrying the reporting process alone, it may be time to train the wider internal team.
how can we help you?
Ready to align profitability with impactful ESG strategies? Contact us today to discuss how we can help your business thrive sustainably.
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