The Solution
As part of their sustainability strategy, Colruyt Group was looking for a platform to meet their specific needs. Board International was chosen as the preferred solution due to its ability to fulfill several key requirements. The most important of these was flexibility and speed. Board offers a comprehensive platform that can be rapidly customized to suit specific needs, without requiring coding, while delivering maximum functionality.
Colruyt Group selected Board as their cloud-based system to ensure better scalability and availability. In the first phase of implementation, which was completed in a short time frame, processes that had previously been managed in Excel were transformed into a visually appealing and user-friendly tool. This marked the initial step in “sustainability accounting,” including the necessary data consolidation. It’s important to note that this was not a financial consolidation but a consolidation of sustainability data. A crucial factor was that both Board and their partner Planpulse were able to align with Colruyt’s design for the ESG/CSRD process. Since there was no established blueprint on the market, this required flexibility, and Board provided all the necessary capabilities.
Results
Centralization and Efficiency
The first key result of implementing the sustainability reporting and monitoring process at Colruyt Group is the centralization of data and increased process efficiency. In practice, this means Colruyt is starting to work with standardized processes and master data, where all data definitions and approval flows are clearly defined and accessible to stakeholders via the Board solution. This enables Colruyt to move towards a single integrated process involving a large group of users in a collaborative tool.
Additionally, it is vital to ensure the solution was auditable. Thanks to the four-eyes principle, along with strict data requirements and traceability built into the solution, reporting always meets the highest audit standards. A successful CO2 audit for the year 2023 has already been completed, confirming the solution’s effectiveness. This audit success alone represents a valuable business case for Colruyt Group.
A third significant advantage is the flexibility of the solution. Colruyt’s ESG processes are designed to easily accommodate changes and new requirements, which is essential given the evolving external and internal regulatory demands.
“With Board’s functionality, we are transforming our sustainability processes to a true, value-adding collaboration tool. Our sustainability efforts are now both transferable and manageable.”
Time savings and process improvements
The second key outcome is time savings and process improvements. The implementation has resulted in a unified process that has already replaced numerous Excel files and manual data translations. Additionally, the platform fully supports data traceability, which is essential for audits. With centralized data management and integrated workflow options, Colruyt Group can now collaborate efficiently between different entities. Practically, this means significantly less manual work. The result has been an immediate success in the CO2 audit and considerable time savings.
Error reduction and data reliability
The third major result is improved accuracy and reliability of data. The platform includes built-in validation checks for data entry and import, which enhances data quality. Additionally, assumptions made during the process are documented and shared with auditors, ensuring transparency and compliance. To further reduce errors and ensure data reliability, Board also incorporates the four-eyes principle, allowing Colruyt colleagues to review data before it’s made available to auditors.
User acceptance
From a user perspective, there was almost no resistance. Thanks to a well-planned adoption strategy and the simplicity of the tool, the transition was smooth. The tool also includes helpful tooltips explaining key concepts, which allowed users to quickly understand new features. The intuitive nature of Board further facilitated adoption. Overall, the Colruyt team is enthusiastic, with no complaints or issues related to adoption. Currently, around 100 active users are part of this growing environment.
“It’s like custom development, but much faster because of the no-code toolbox. The flexibility of Board allows Colruyt Group to quickly adapt to changing regulations and new sustainability initiatives.”
