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Appraisal & evaluation techniques
Why is this area important to embedding sustainability in our organisation?
Appraising and evaluating the social, environmental and long term economic impacts of decisions is essential if those decisions are to lead to sustainable outcomes. By using appropriate appraisal and evaluation techniques, it is possible to embed sustainable objectives into decision making in all areas of an organisation.
A prototype methodology has been developed to enable sustainbility issues to be taken into account more robustly and consistently in day-to-day decision-making.
This module covers techniques applicable to many kinds of decision-making.There are a variety of tools and techniques available to do this, including:
- Benchmarking - used to understand and evaluate the current position of an organisation in relation to ‘best practice’, particularly with other organisations in your sector. The purpose is to identify areas where performance of the organisation, and/or its products and services, can be improved and the methods by which this may be achieved.
- Life cycle assessment - used to evaluate the environmental impacts associated with a product, process or activity by identifying and evaluating potential opportunities to make environmental improvements. Life cycle assessment reviews every aspect of a product life cycle from design to end of life.
- Sustainability appraisal - a process by which a company, product, service, project, strategy or plan are assessed against a set of economic, social and environmental criteria. The aim of the appraisal process is to identify and minimise potential adverse impacts and resolve as far as possible conflicting or contradictory outcomes.
- Scenario testing - a method to assess likely performance under different scenarios, associated with specified changes within a given timescale. It can be used to understand the structure of a market and to enhance risk management by examining extreme economic, social or environmental changes.