Data confidentiality and Assurance

Confidentiality is crucial for the GNR system. Companies must be confident that their sensitive information is secure. The GNR must be compliant with all anti-trust legislation.

To ensure the confidentiality of the GNR system and of individual datasets submitted by participants, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) manages the database as a third party, external and independent from participants. PwC develops the database system, collates the reported data, analyzes the results of various statistical queries, and produces consolidated data and reports.

As the independent manager of the GNR system, PwC is responsible for ensuring that all data that can be traced back to individual companies or plants will strictly not be disclosed, not be accessible to any unauthorized internal and external stakeholder. PwC also provides a guarantee of non-disclosure of confidential information and compliance with competition law. As a general rule, there must be 4 or more independent operators in one country so that aggregate reports on this country can be released. (The number of companies and installations per country are highlighted under Geographic Coverage.)

In addition, a Project Management Committee (PMC) was set up to serve as the single contact point for all communications between participants in the GNR system and PwC. The PMC develops the schedule for companies' data submittal to PwC, and receives and deliberates on stakeholder requests for data.

Independent Third Party Assurance

Since 2006, CSI companies participating in GNR have used independent third party limited assurance of their CO₂ emissions information. Other participants are strongly encouraged to adopt data assurance practices as part of their participation. This assurance process is managed at a company level and involves potential visits by the independent assurance provider to a sample of a company’s facilities. The number and location of such visits is determined solely by the assurance provider, and must be stated in their assurance summary.

Of the 2010 data submitted to the GNR, 79% has been assured independently at company-level.

Data Quality Verification

Once data collection is completed PwC performs a series of consistency checks to ensure that:

1. a.Data is correctly situated in the system;
2. b.Values submitted fall within a range usually observed in the industry;
3. c.Data for all facilities has been supplied.

Using an iterative process, PwC liaises with participant companies to assess the validity of data values that fall outside expected ranges. For cases where companies fail to explain an anomalous data point, the CSI has retained an independent cement industry specialist to provide anonymous expert review.