Sustainability Development Metrics: Indices, Approaches and Frameworks

Sustainability development metrics are aggregate measures that extend the concept of value beyond gross Domestic product (GDP). Commonly referred to as sustainability development indicators (SDI), these are measures of sustainability go beyond the generic concept.

Sustainability indicators, indices and reporting systems are of growing importance in both the public and private sectors. SDIs are seen as useful in a wide range of settings, by a wide range of actors this includes international and intergovernmental bodies; national governments and government departments; economic sectors; administrators of geographic or ecological regions; communities; nongovernmental organizations; and the private sector.

New Sustainability Metrics from KoAnn Skrzyniarz

Businesses are extending their metrics beyond the measurement of profit to other forms of value of creation. The new sustainability imperatives demands that we include new metrics. In response to both consumers and supply chain pressures businesses are under pressure to provide metrics that measure their sustainability efforts. While these metrics measure more than just profit, they are closely tied to financial performance and creating a competitive advantage.

Here are five new metrics from KoAnn Skrzyniarz. She is the originator of sustainable brands and Sustainable Life Media. She is one of the world's leading innovators in sustainability metrics. She explores ways of measuring new forms of environmental and social value.

Event - New Metrics 14 Conference

The fourth annual New Metrics ’14 conference will take place September 24-26 in Boston, Massachusetts. In 2011 Sustainable Brands launched its first “New Metrics” conference, initially partnering with Wharton’s IGEL program to host the conference. This year they are collaborating with MIT’s Sloan School of Business to bring together an audience of 300 brand leaders to be in dialogue with 60+ thought leaders from well-respected brands, NGOs and think tanks who will speak about how they’re working to create a path toward smarter, more accurate and more inclusive business metrics.

e-book - Metrics for Environmental Health and Sustainability

Effective operational metrics are an essential part of benchmarking and measuring progress. This e-book helps you to select the appropriate metrics across environment health and safety, sustainability, quality and more. Produced by LNS Research, in conjunction with MESA International, this e-book contains the detailed findings of the five-month, 2013-2014 Manufacturing Metrics that Matter research project.

This information-packed eBook answers many of the questions on business leaders’ minds today, including:

Event - The Future of Capitalism: New Metrics, New Models, New Outcomes

This TSSS Event will take place on Tuesday, March 4th and a follow up webinar will be aired on Thursday, March 20th. The event will be hosted by Mark Anielski, a leading expert on the emerging metric of well-being (the new bottom line). The followup webinar will dive deeper into the issues. The Future of Capitalism: New Metrics, New Models, New Outcomes by Mark Anielski will ask the question, "Are you ready to compete in an economic system that rewards shared values, well being and inclusive prosperity?"

For more information click here.

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Event - The Future of Capitalism: New Metrics, New Models, New Outcomes

The Future of Capitalism will take place on Tuesday, March 4, 2014 from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm, at Loyalty One, 438 University Ave., 12th Floor, Toronto, Canada. This event is subtitled, "New Metrics, New Models, New Outcomes." It will address strategies for the new economy and competing in an economic system that rewards shared values, well being and inclusive prosperity. Attendees at this event will hear from Mark Anielski, one of the world's leading experts on the emerging metric of well-being...the new bottom line.

World Population Day and Curbing Co2 Emissions on a Per Capita Basis

Thursday, July 11th, is World Population Day. The issue of population growth is highly contentious as many want to point their fingers at the developing world where we are seeing the largest population increases. This is particularly true of Africa. However, rather than look solely at population increases we need to consider the significantly lower national per capita Co2 emissions profiles of developing nations as compared to developed countries.

Growing population is undeniably a serious environmental issue. The earth has a finite carrying capacity which we are already exceeding. The more people there are on this earth the greater the demands we make on the planet's limited resources.

Video - Indian environmentalist and CEO Shares his Support for Earth Hour

Indian environmentalist and CEO of Paharpur Business Centre & Software Technology Incubator Park, Kamal Meattle, shares his support for Earth Hour.

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WWF's Earth Hour Playbook for Business
Earth Hour: Tangible Action Beyond the Symbolism
WWF's Earth Hour 2013: Why You Should be Part of It!

Video - Business supporting Earth Hour

This video from Royal Business Center reviews what businesses can do to support Earth Hour. Businesses do more than just turn off the lights of the premises and ask staff and customers to do the same. Businesses support Earth Hour by implementing practices and offering services all year round that reduce environmental impacts.

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WWF's Earth Hour Playbook for Business
Earth Hour: Tangible Action Beyond the Symbolism
WWF's Earth Hour 2013: Why You Should be Part of It!

WWF's Earth Hour Playbook for Business

To help businesses with Earth Hour, WWF Canada has put together a Playbook for Business. The official playbook includes all sorts of activities and events to run not only during Earth Hour, but beyond the hour too. There are a number of things that businesses can do in addition to participating in Earth Hour, promoting the event in the workplace, and encourage employees to participate in Earth Hour at home.

Business activities run the gamut from awareness raising trivia quizes to work programs and ongoing actions. Host a departmental energy trivia challenge and test your employees with energy-related facts and prizes. To check out the energy trivia from Living Planet click here.

Companies are invited to join WWF’s Living Planet @ Work program. It includes access to free online tools and ideas for implementing sustainability initiatives, plus background documents on sustainability in the workplace. To see WWF's Living Planet @ Work Program click here.

Earth Hour: Tangible Action Beyond the Symbolism

Earth Hour is about more than symbolic gestures designed to consolidate support for action on climate change. While the importance of bringing people together for environmental betterment cannot be overstated, Earth Hour also produces tangible benefits. The event is a catalyst for thousands of environmentally oriented actions and initiatives around the globe. From Africa to the Americas, businesses and governments are getting involved alongside millions of people all around the world.

Last year in the US, nearly 35,000 Girl Scouts led a Save Energy Project for Earth Hour. They installed 132,141 energy efficient light bulbs in homes and community centers, eliminating 77,553,119 pounds of CO2 emissions, the equivalent to the CO2 sequestration from planting 7,495 acres of trees per year.

WWF's Earth Hour 2013: Why You Should be Part of It!

Earth Hour is the largest grassroots environmental event in history. Hundreds of millions of people, businesses and governments around the world unite each year to turn off their lights for one hour to show their support for action on climate change. In 2012 a total of almost 7000 towns and cities in more than 152 countries got involved. In 2013 Earth Hour takes place on Saturday March 23, from 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM local time.

Earth Hour is a global movement that demands large-scale action. Shutting off your lights for Earth Hour is a highly visible symbolic act that is a catalyst for action on the issue of climate change. While turning off your lights for one hour will not put an end to climate change, hundreds of millions of people acting together across the globe can make a difference.

Global Survey on Sustainability

As reported in an April 30, 2012 Environmental Leader article, 72 percent of US companies say sustainability influences their purchasing decisions and is an important factor when selecting a service provider. Outside of the US, 91 percent of the companies polled said sustainability was part of their purchasing decisions. These numbers are from a survey called 2012 Rackspace Green Survey from cloud computing firm Rackspace Hosting.

Global Clean Energy Investment Sets Record

Global clean energy finance and investment grew to a record $263 billion in 2011. According to new research released by The Pew Charitable Trusts, this represents a 6.5 percent increase over 2010. The US reclaimed the top spot from China, which has led the global clean energy race since 2009. Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, India were all in the top ten for clean energy investment in 2011.