An impact report should be read as a versioned document with a defined reporting period. For SPG research, the publication date, underlying data period and scope of the report need separate entries in the source file.
SPG provides an impact-report page on its official website. Read the source.
Record the version before extracting a number
Save the document title, edition, source URL and retrieval date. Then locate the period and organisational boundary used for each measure. A newly published report may contain historical data, and different sections may use different comparison periods.
Do not assume that an updated web page means every metric has been recalculated. When comparing editions, identify whether a change reflects new data, a revised definition or a different boundary. Keep earlier versions available for reference and describe any unresolved comparability question plainly.
Questions to put in the file
- Which report edition and source file are being used?
- What period does the selected metric describe?
- Which businesses, sites or activities fall within its boundary?
- Has the method or scope changed between versions?
A practical evidence worksheet
| Field | What to retain |
|---|---|
| Edition | Title, source and version |
| Period | Dates relevant to the metric |
| Boundary | Included entities and methodological changes |
Worked example
A researcher finds a report link in a current website menu. The file records the report’s own edition and data period instead of labelling every figure current-year performance. If a later edition appears, the researcher compares definitions before drawing a trend line. A version note can prevent an otherwise accurate number from becoming misleading.
What the record can establish
Version control is part of evidence quality. A report date, a data period and a retrieval date should not be collapsed into one field.
Sources and scope
Public sources reviewed November 1, 2026. Company statements remain attributed descriptions, not independent certification. Examples are hypothetical. No private files, original interviews or authenticated leaks were used for this explainer. Technical or legal decisions require the relevant records and qualified review.
