Sustainability Measurement and Practices

Measuring Sustainability

• Sustainability measurement is crucial for a more sustainable future, guiding actions, policies, and investments toward long-term environmental, social, and economic well-being.
• Evaluation assesses human activities' impact on the environment, society, and economy.
• Monitoring Progress tracks progress toward sustainable goals, identifies areas for improvement, and ensures accountability.
• Decision-Making uses data-driven insights for informed decision-making, guiding policies, business strategies, and resource allocation for sustainable practices.
• Communication and Transparency promotes clear communication of sustainability efforts to stakeholders, demonstrating commitment to responsible practices.
• Resource Optimization optimizes resource usage, reduces waste, and increases efficiency, leading to cost savings.
• Global Accountability addresses global challenges like climate change and resource scarcity by encouraging global cooperation.

Sustainable Development-Long Term Strategies

• Recognize the intrinsic value of natural resources.
• Protect biodiversity.
• Protect productive ecosystems, like agricultural land and livestock, to ensure sustainability.
• Promote energetic transition by using renewable energy sources.
• Design products, goods, and services with eco-design principles, considering the environment throughout the product life cycle (from cradle to grave).
• Mitigate the effects of climate change.

Measuring Environmental Sustainability

• A certain number of environmental sustainability indices have been identified for measuring sustainability; these are internationally recognized.

Types of Indicators

• Descriptive indicators describe the environmental problem, using units like tons of CO2 emissions.
• Performance or effectiveness indicators measure the ratio between the result achieved and the pre-established objective in terms of environmental policy (e.g., % of waste collected separately).
• Efficiency indicators measure the environmental result achieved relative to the economic resources used (e.g., reduction in atmospheric emissions per unit cost of structural actions).
• Total wellness indicators measure overall sustainability, for example, the ecological footprint or contribution to the greenhouse effect.

A Company's Environmental Sustainability is Measured by

• Compliance with current international and national laws and standards relevant to the company's area of expertise.
• Quantity of raw materials used, considering both the economic and environmental aspects of the company, including measuring harmful emissions and waste production.
• Supply chain, considering the entire life cycle of the product, from raw material procurement to the end of the product's life.
• Social impact, considering the company's role within the social and operational context, including national and international relations of the production chain and the impact on the local area
• Environmental effects, examining the company's activities' environmental consequences and safety procedures to mitigate or cancel negative environmental impacts.

Development Policies That Translate Into Sustainable Development

• Adoption of circular economy principles.
• Preservation and protection of the territory and biodiversities.
• Promotion of renewable energy sources and efficient use.
• Recycle and optimal waste management.
• Promotion of sustainable mobility.
• Development of innovative technologies.
• Circular economy model involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling products as long as possible.

Significance

• A company's environmental sustainability needs measurement to evaluate the effects of operations from an ecological and social perspective. Prospective partners and investors find business sustainability increasingly measurable.