Challenges to overcome
Establishing a reporting baseline
A core challenge in terms of reporting is to know what the baseline situation is against which change is monitored. As part of this there is increasing use being made of composite indicator sets to establish a ‘footprint’ and this may also provide a powerful communications tool in its own right. This is an approach that has been taken by the Welsh Assembly Government and by the Metropolitan Police. WWF has provided guidance on ecological footprinting.
Determining an appropriate boundary for your impacts
Sustainable development is about making connections and understanding the interlinkages of causes and effects. It may therefore be difficult to bound your reporting activities as you move from considering your organisations direct to its more indirect and diffuse impacts. Considering the materiality of any given issue will be a matter of analyzing data and making judgements. However, the key thing is to be transparent about where those boundaries are being drawn.
Are there key challenges in this area we haven’t discussed? If so, please tell us about them.
Do you have another example of how these challenges can be overcome? If so, please submit a case study.