Five sector sustainability model: A proposal for assessing sustainability of production systems

Abstract

The decision-making process towards sustainability is usually based on quantitative indicators, and becomes more complex the more indicators are considered. The lack of a clear criterion (i.e. a conceptual model of sustainability) supporting the choice of one indicator rather than others creates doubts about the real attainments of such studies. The holistic-based approach in choosing indicators to express sustainability claims for a multicriteria perspective. This work proposes a sustainability assessment tool based on the FIVE SEctor SUstainability (5SEnSU) model that is capable to show the relationships between humans and the natural environment, and the use of goal programming as a multicriteria method. The advantages of the proposed tool are based on clear criteria in choosing indicators supported by the 5SEnSU model, which recognizes the double functions (as a donor and receiver) of natural environment and society, as well the application of goal programming to obtain an easy-to-understand final indicator: the sustainability synthetic indicator of systems (SSIS). The countries that form Mercosur economic bloc were used as a case study to illustrate the application of the proposed model. Results have shown that Uruguay holds the highest sustainability performance among all Mercosur countries, although still demanding efforts from public policies to improve its national happiness level (K52 indicator), employment rate (K41 indicator) and total emergy flow per capita (K12 indicator). Instead of using a single criterion in choosing indicators, this work provides a scientific-based tool in choosing, calculating, and supporting discussions on the sustainability of production systems under a more holistic perspective.