Business, Environment, and Society by Vesela R. Veleva

Author:Vesela R. Veleva
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781351868600
Publisher: Routledge

Using the Framework

In 2000–2001 the LCSP used the framework in two types of training: awareness raising and skill building.

The awareness raising training introduces the concepts of sustainable development, production, and consumption. It defines indicators and outlines their key dimensions. Specific exercises are included to improve participants’ understanding of indicators. This type of training also includes illustrative cases of companies developing sustainable production indicators as well as a bibliography on alternative indicator frameworks and resources.

The skill building training focuses on metrics and measures and how existing indicators fit within the LCSP framework. Participants are provided with some existing sets of indicators (e.g., 3M, Amoco, Global Reporting Initiative, Center for Waste Reduction Technology), and asked to classify them according to the LCSP 5-level framework. This type of training involves developing sustainable production indicators within the LCSP framework, in which participants list indicators that they presently use and indicators that they would like to use. The training also includes examples of companies developing sustainable production indicators and a bibliography of additional sources of information and quantitative data for indicator calculation.

Training workshops and presentations have been given for the Northeast Business Environmental Network (NBEN), the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (NPPR), Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Planners Conference (TURP), the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES), the Greening of Industry Conference, and the Northern Sustainable Community Network. Participants have included companies’ Environmental Health and Safety staff; representatives from local, state, and federal environmental agencies; and community activists. According to participants, the framework is extremely useful in raising their understanding of sustainable production and indicators and how to apply these in practice.

Other key findings from the sessions given to date include

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Most firms in United States are using Level 1 and 2 indicators only. This is due to the fact that U.S. firms are not required by law to prepare higher level indicators. In the few cases in which there is such an interest, firms typically lack the expertise to develop the indicators.

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Workshop participants find that classifying indicators into the five levels reveals much about their company/facility indicator systems. Placing an indicator within the 5-level framework is not always easy. However, the process of discussing different viewpoints about where an indicator fits within the framework has proven very successful in increasing participants’ overall understanding of sustainable production.

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Level 5 indicators (sustainable systems indicators) are difficult for companies to understand, develop, and implement, since these require community and government support, expanded databases, and information on limits and thresholds. Without such support, business will be able to make only limited progress toward developing truly sustainable systems of production.

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Indicators relating to the social and economic aspects of sustainability are not currently accommodated easily by the framework. There is a need to expand the framework and include these aspects as well as worker well-being and product sustainability.

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Management indicators are of particular interest to organizations and are not well accommodated by the framework in its current state.

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The term indicator is not always understood well and is sometimes confused with goals or issues. For example,

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