How the Northern Powerhouse Partnership tracked Green Growth with The Data City

The Northern Powerhouse Partnership is committed to addressing economic disparities between the north of England and the rest of the UK. Led by Andrew McPhillips, Chief Economist, and Tegan Massey, Policy Analyst, the team uses data to influence policy and drive investment in key sectors like net zero.

Before using The Data City, they predominantly relied on ONS data but faced challenges with these platforms.

The team often found it time-consuming to navigate the ONS website and datasets, describing them as not very user-friendly. They needed a faster, more flexible way to get real-time insights into emerging sectors, which became crucial for their report Net Zero by 2050: One Plan. Two Objectives. How Green Growth Can Build the Northern Powerhouse.

The Northern Powerhouse Partnership required a more efficient way to understand and analyse the net zero sector and map business clusters across the North. Traditional sources like ONS, with their rigid datasets, often took too much time to analyse or fell short in capturing the fast-moving changes in emerging sectors.

They needed a solution that was user-friendly and capable of delivering real-time, actionable insights.

The Data City platform provided the flexibility and speed they needed. With its real-time data capabilities, the platform allowed them to measure and define the size of the net zero economy, breaking it down into specialised areas and mapping out business clusters. This was vital for shaping the recommendations in their Net Zero by 2050 report.

They also valued the platform’s transparency, which enabled them to show stakeholders exactly how the data was gathered and analysed. This level of clarity was something they couldn’t achieve elsewhere, making The Data City an essential tool for strengthening the credibility of their findings.

Using The Data City’s ANALYSE tool, the team could create sector insights quickly, making the research process far more efficient than their previous experiences.

The platform allowed the Northern Powerhouse Partnership to clearly define and map the net zero sector in the North, identifying business clusters and pinpointing key growth opportunities. These detailed insights were integral to their Net Zero by 2050 report, enabling them to present accurate, evidence-based recommendations for investments in green growth.

The platform’s real-time updates ensure that their research stays current and relevant, while the ongoing support from The Data City team provides expert guidance and assistance, allowing them to fully optimise their research.