Basics and FSSD Flashcards
(14 cards)
What are the two key functions of corporate sustainability management?
(1) Help companies cope with global crises, (2) Act as agents of positive change
What is the relationship between sustainability management and controlling?
Management defines guiding policies, objectives, and tasks; controlling analyses, monitors, and plans with tools like LCA, KPIs, and cost accounting
What real-world problems create pressure for sustainability management?
Exceeding planetary boundaries, climate tipping points, novel entities, resource depletion
What is Life Cycle Thinking?
A cradle-to-grave analysis of environmental impact across resource input, production, transport, use, and disposal. For example: Input (resources, materials, energy) –> potential measure: reduction of dangerous substances
Name 4 challenges companies face in implementing effective sustainability management.
-Not enough information about the company‘s environmental and social situation and impacts
-Inadequate integration of
sustainability issues into the strategic objectives of the companies
-The importance of proactive stakeholder engagement is often ignored
-Short-termism
What is environmental performance in the context of sustainability controlling?
Environmental performance refers to the measurable results of an organization’s management of its environmental aspects—how its activities, products, or services interact with the environment (ISO 14031 & ISO 14001). It focuses on both direct and indirect environmental impacts.
Name 3 strategic planning tools used in sustainability management.
Sustainability Balanced Scorecard (SBSC), Portfolio analysis, ABCD procedure (FSSD).
Name 3 tools used in sustainability controlling and monitoring.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Environmental performance evaluation, Environmental cost accounting
What is the goal of the FSSD?
Unifying, operational definitionn of sustainability and comprehensive, systematic approach for sustainability achievement
What are the 4 system conditions of FSSD and how can they be protected?
- Earth’s crust substances: Avoid fossil fuels and heavy metals → switch to renewable energy and abundant, non-toxic materials.
- Society-produced substances: Reduce synthetic chemicals and persistent waste → use biodegradable and circular materials.
- Physical degradation: Prevent deforestation, overharvesting, and land erosion → use sustainable land use, conservation, and restoration.
- Structural obstacles to people: Support fair access to health, education, and participation → ensure equity, inclusion, and human rights. |
Describe what social dimension means in FSSD and its 5 principles.
Social sustainability – basic conditions for a sustainable social system
5 principles:
-Health – avoid harm to well-being
-Influence – allow participation in decisions
-Competence – support learning and development
-Impartiality – ensure fairness and non-discrimination
-Meaning – enable purpose, culture, and belonging
What are the five levels of FSSD?
- System (Society and ecosystems)
- Success (System conditions and meta strategies)
- Strategy
- Actions (lead to impacts)
- Tools (EMAs, indicators etc)
What are the meta strategies?
- Dematerialization
– IMPACT: less amount of resources (and therefor less pollution) for same utility - Substitution
– IMPACT: using different resources/technologies/processes in order to have less environmental pollution and less consumption of
resources for the same utility
Operationalisation of FSSD: ABCD?
A four-step operational procedure of FSSD. This process is a systematic way to apply the FSSD, designed for the creative co-creation of strategic transitions towards sustainability within organizations
A - Awareness (learn, define and align vision)
B - Baseline (analyze current scenario, challenges)
C - Creative solutions (Brainstorm, bridge vission-reality gap, list)
D - Down to action (Priorotize; ROI, pace and impact)
