Phase 2: Data collection and response calculation

TSC offers resources and support for each phase in the THESIS process. This phase of the THESIS process covers collecting data from you supply chain and responding to your products assessments KPIs. Read on for more information.

Phase 2 can be broken down into 5 steps, organize your data collection, execute your data collection, validate your data, complete your KPIs, and complete your THESIS assessments.

Companies that prioritize supplier engagement and establish an effective process for collecting data see the best results in their THESIS assessment process.

We recommend following the steps below to get started:

  1. Review the Data base best practices and Key information to prepare for data collection.
  2. Organize your data collection so you ensure you get the data you'll need.
  3. Notify your contacts so they can plan ahead and get the data to you in time.
  4. Execute and validate your data collection
  5. Complete your KPIs
  6. Complete your THESIS assessments
  7. Review further resources

Data collection can be a challenge for organizations of all sizes. The THESIS process is an opportunity to build your organization's supply chain and facility engagement so we encourage using this time to build and improve your data collection tools and processes. THESIS retailers value THESIS engagement and it's important to complete THESIS assessments even if your data is incomplete and/or you can't respond to every KPI. THESIS is an opportunity to understand and benchmark your starting place. Your THESIS Scorecard will provide you with tailored action recommendations and allow you to measure year over year improvements.

START WHERE YOU ARE: It’s important to respond even if it's difficult or your data is incomplete. THESIS is an opportunity to engage with your suppliers and build your understanding of your supply chain.

Organizing your data collection

Organizing your data collection and creating a plan is an important way to streamline your process, remove potential barriers, save yourself time, and improve the efficiency of your data collection. 

Reference our Knowledge Article for Key Information for THESIS Data Collection.


Start organizing your process by:

  • Identify all your products, all retail buyer(s) they are sold to, and which assessment they are within scope for. 
  • Create your facility and supplier lists, even those not owned and not under your operation control. Identify contacts for each. 
  • Identify the THESIS Assessment relevant for each of your products and map the KPIs for that assessment onto your products. 
  • Map contacts based on who has access to the data you’ll need. 
  • Identify a process for collecting data by determining any available tools or processes and what works within your organization.  

As you're getting started with your data collection, prioritize data collection from your major suppliers as this data will cover the majority of your needed data.

Find further guidance and resources on our TSC website:

Executing and validating your data collection

57% of THESIS KPIs require you to go upstream into your supply chain to answer them. The quality of the data analytics and insights that THESIS provides relies on the quality of the data you submit.

Executing your data collection:

Reach out to your facility and supplier contacts, coordinating and tracking progress on your data collection. Follow up as needed, providing clear guidance and timelines. 

Notify your facilities and suppliers as far ahead as possible that the request is coming so they can plan ahead. This means they are more likely to get the data to you in time.

Note that scope in the context of THESIS assessments defines the boundaries for data collection. Completing a KPI can involve collecting data from multiple sites and multiple organizations.

Be sure to review the data collection timeframe that your data is collected for the correct time period.

Unless otherwise stated, all KPI responses should be calculated using data from a 12 month period. This 12 month period must have ended less than 12 months from the date you're completing the assessment. 

Review the Key resources on TSCs website for more resources and help.

Review TSCs KPI guidance tool for further guidance for your KPIs.

Validating your data collection

Review your data to identify outliers, check for correct units, invalid data, and blank responses. Re-engage your contacts, giving yourself time for corrections. Taking time to validate your data will support using THESIS to drive value for your organization. 


Completing your KPIs

Calculate your results using the data you’ve collected. 

Follow the KPI response options and KPI Guidance to identify the quantitative or qualitative attribute that the KPI is requesting. For qualitative attributes, identify the response option that is most common across the relevant SKUs/facilities/suppliers.  For quantitative attributes, calculate a weighted average over SKUs/facilities/suppliers.  

More information can be found on How to Complete THESIS KPIs and KPI guidance

TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response and is available as a free download from the TSC website (be sure to search "Calculation tools"). There are Calculation tools for GHG, Wastewater, Textile, Food, and many other KPIs.

Completing your THESIS assessments

Once you’ve calculated your KPI responses, you’re ready to enter them into your THESIS assessment. All fields must be completed in order to submit an assessment.

Go to your Dashboard and click on an assessment to open it.

  • THESIS start and THESIS wrap Up: These are automatically available on your dashboard.
  • Product Category Assessments: These assessments are not automatically available. You self select Product Category Assessments based on the products you sell.

You can add Assessments to your THESIS Account in two ways:

    • Assessment Hierarchy: During onboarding, the THESIS assessment hierarchy will walk you through selecting the THESIS assessments for the products you sell.
    • From your dashboard: You can also add assessments after onboarding from your THESIS dashboard.
    • Please review the Adding and removing assessments tutorial for a step-by-step walkthrough.

Once you’ve entered your responses on THESIS, you’re ready to share your results with your retailer buyers. Be sure to select all your retail buyers. 

Other helpful resources:

Note that the highest-ranking sustainability executive in your organization must sign off on your organization’s completed assessment prior to submitting. This step is required for verifying that all information presented in the assessment is accurate. You will not be able to edit your responses once the assessment has been submitted.

Resources for data collection and responding to KPIs

Phase 3

Reach out with questions to the TSC Help Desk at: help@sustainabilityconsortium.org 

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