Identify Sustainability Indicators Research Articles

Sustainability index development by integrating lean green and Six Sigma tools: a case study of the Indian manufacturing industry

PurposeIndia’s manufacturing sector employs about 12% of the labour force and contributes to about 17% of the nation’s GDP. The Indian government intends to implement several initiatives under the “Make in India” and Atma Nirbhar Bharat banners to increase the manufacturing sector’s share of the nation’s GDP to 25% by 2025. Applying lean manufacturing, green manufacturing and Six Sigma is crucial to ensure that India’s manufacturing sectors grow sustainably in international markets. This study aims to identify sustainability indicators and ascertain their respective weights to evaluate the sustainability performance of the Indian manufacturing industry.Design/methodology/approachThis research identifies 25 sustainability indicators and classifies them into the triple bottom line of sustainability based on an evaluative literature review and expert opinion. The Best Worst Method was utilised to determine the weights of the sustainability indicators. The sustainability index was developed to evaluate economic, social and environmental sustainability.FindingsThe sustainability performance of a foundry in a significant Western Indian State city was assessed by applying the developed sustainability index. After the adoption of integrated lean, green and Six Sigma (LG&SS) strategies and related practices in the foundry, there has been a notable improvement of 68.03% in the economic index, 61.62% in the social index and 13.24% in the environmental index.Research limitations/implicationsThe proposed sustainability index is applied and evaluated specifically for assessing the sustainability performance of Indian manufacturing SMEs. It can be used to substantiate firm’s sustainability performance and also to assess the improvement in firm’s performance in economic, environmental and social dimensions after implementing various operational excellence practices. However, it cannot serve as a benchmark tool across similar companies or organisations.Practical implicationsThe developed sustainable index can be used to analyse the company or organisation’s sustainability performance and see how various strategies have improved things. Practitioners can use this index to assess social, economic and environmental performance and focus on areas that need improvement.Social implicationsThe proposed sustainability index serves as a vital tool for monitoring a firm’s progress in triple bottom line (TBL) dimensions of sustainability, tracking a diverse range of indicators and encouraging sustainable organisational practices.Originality/valueThis study attempts to assess the economic, social and environmental performance of Indian Manufacturing SMEs by proposing a sustainability index.

Validation of sustainability indicators in the energy sector considering their relationship with the UN SDGs: analysis of an emerging economy country using the Lawshe method

Purpose This study aims to identify sustainability indicators in the energy sector through a literature review and validate them from the perspective and context of professionals working in the sector in an emerging economy country, Brazil, considering the relationship of these indicators with the achievement of the targets set by the United Nations sustainable development goals (UN SDGs). Design/methodology/approach To accomplish this, a literature review on sustainability indicators specific to the energy sector was conducted. Subsequently, a research instrument (questionnaire) based on the identified indicators was developed and a survey was administered to professionals in the field. The collected data were analyzed using the Lawshe method. Findings The results revealed 20 indicators, distributed across environmental, economic and social dimensions. Among these, nine indicators were validated, including global impacts, local impacts, renewable energy production as a percentage of total production, greenhouse gas emissions, access to electricity, investment in the energy sector, installed capacity in the electricity sector, energy prices in the end-use sector and energy distribution and conversion efficiency. Originality/value Consequently, it was possible to determine which SDGs are directly impacted and provide a foundation for future actions that can contribute to the sustainable advancement of the energy sector in emerging countries.

DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABILITY INDICATORS FOR MUSLIM FRIENDLY TOURISM IN MALAYSIA

Muslim friendly tourism is a tourism segment that adheres to the religious needs of Muslim tourists. It includes a wide range of services and facilities including transportation, restaurants, entertainment, and accommodations that designed for and directed at Muslims. Malaysia is one of the fastest growing countries in the Muslim friendly tourism industry sector, holding a sizeable market share. As sustainable tourism has emerged as the way forward for Muslim friendly tourism, specific sustainability indicators should be developed to be used in planning and decision-making of Muslim friendly tourism related matters. Yet, the majority of the existing sustainability indicators reflect other tourism niche such as ecotourism, small tourism enterprises, adventure tourism destinations, festival tourism, and ecological resort. Malaysia’s tourism industry contributed 12.8% to the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2021 and contributed 23.4% to the total employment. Hence, sustaining Muslim friendly tourism as a niche tourism segment is one of the country’s priorities. This study is on-going aims to develop sustainability indicators for Muslim friendly tourism in Malaysia. For this purpose, stage 1 of this research aims to identify sustainability indicators for Muslim friendly tourism and stage 2 aims to evaluate the relative importance of the indicators identified. Findings of this study is in line with the National Tourism Policy (2020-2030), which aiming to ensure the continuity of the country’s tourism industry and will support the Malaysian government specifically Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8 on “decent work and economic growth” as tourism has the potential to contribute, directly or indirectly, to this goal.

Measurement Model of Healthy and Sustainable Cities: The Perception Regarding the Sustainable Development Goals

This article aims to verify the sustainability indicators that constitute a model for measuring healthy and sustainable cities and their perception of the sustainable development goals of the United Nations. To achieve this, a systematic literature review was conducted to identify sustainability indicators in healthy sustainable cities and, subsequently, included in a questionnaire. A questionnaire was administered in the city of Florianópolis, and subsequently, the results were analyzed through descriptive statistics. The relationship between these indicators and the United Nations’ sustainable development goals was analyzed. A major contribution of this article lies in the methodology used for generating the model comprising indicators derived from the literature and validated through field research involving the local population. A contribution lies in the theoretical contribution involving the construction of a comprehensive framework of relevant articles on the topic of healthy sustainable cities. From a practical standpoint, this research generates actionable knowledge for municipal administrations, thus aiding in the promotion of sustainable development goals.

An Exploratory Analysis of Sustainability Indicators in Turkish Small- and Medium-Sized Industrial Enterprises

Significant differences exist between the sustainability practices of large businesses and those of small- and medium-sized enterprises in the industrial sector. Small- and medium-sized enterprises have restricted access to capital, resources, and experience. Most sustainable manufacturing strategies are based on indicators and evaluation models developed for large firms. This study aims to identify sustainability indicators for small- and medium-sized industrial firms. The sustainability indicators are generated from the G4-specific standard disclosures of the Global Reporting Initiative, which provide a triple-bottom-line approach. A total of 142 senior and middle sustainability-focused managers and partners participated in the survey. An exploratory factor analysis was performed in the first step, and 12 key factors were found. The Best–Worst Method (BWM) was employed in the second step to rank the criteria in order of priority. As a theoretical contribution, this study introduces human rights and economic impact on society as two additional sustainability indicators for small- and medium-sized enterprises. The two most significant aspects of sustainability for Turkish small- and medium-sized businesses are labor rights and energy saving. This study provides empirical evidence from a broad range of stakeholders for the conceptually addressed challenges of sustainability in prior studies. The results demonstrate empirically that the sustainability-based value creation for stakeholder interests, such as employees at the core of business activities, is greater in small and medium enterprises than for other stakeholders. This study’s findings will give managers a framework for establishing key sustainability indicators for allocating the limited resources of small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Sustainability indicators for assessing the sustainability of the frozen chicken meat supply chain

The growing market for chicken meat, mainly frozen chicken meat and processed food, poses significant challenges to global sustainability. Furthermore, there is still a need to evaluate the sustainability performance of the food supply chain in developing countries. This study analyzes the stages of the chicken meat supply chain, especially the production process of frozen chicken meat in Indonesia. Moreover, this study provides indicators for assessing the sustainability performance of the frozen chicken meat production stage. The study utilized the Delphi technique to identify sustainability indicators. The Delphi technique involved experts from the chicken meat industry, resulting in 14 sustainability indicators. The proposed indicators are relevant to assess the sustainability of the frozen chicken meat production stage based on the perspective of the triple bottom line of sustainability.

A Framework for Increasing Sustainability in Affordable Housing: Case Studies in Turkey

The concentration of city populations profoundly impacts the environment and human well-being, posing massive sustainability challenges related to affordable housing and its infrastructure. Turkish cities are part of this global trend resulting in new aspirations for affordable and rapidly built public housing, including those created since 2003 by the Mass Housing Development Administration (TOKI). A major challenge for affordable housing in developing countries, such as Turkey, is the lack of a holistic and viable sustainability framework for use in their creation. Currently, empirical case studies of successful housing projects and city design and planning literature provide a rich source of background data on affordable housing strategies, yet a detailed set of urban sustainability indicators are neither well defined nor integrated. The primary goal of this article is to articulate the components of economic, environmental, and social sustainability (e.g. land-use, energy use, design process, accessibility, density, affordability), while outlining a set of guidelines for affordable housing that can be operationalized by agencies fostering a more sustainable quality of life, such as TOKI. The article begins with a review of literature to identify sustainability indicators applicable to low-income residential environments, then examines two TOKI housing projects in Turkish cities, Bursa and Amasya.

A Framework for Increasing Sustainability in Affordable Housing

The concentration of city populations profoundly impacts the environment and human well-being, posing massive sustainability challenges related to affordable housing and its infrastructure. Turkish cities are part of this global trend resulting in new aspirations for affordable and rapidly built public housing, including those created since 2003 by the Mass Housing Development Administration (TOKI). A major challenge for affordable housing in developing countries, such as Turkey, is the lack of a holistic and viable sustainability framework for use in their creation. Currently, empirical case studies of successful housing projects and city design and planning literature provide a rich source of background data on affordable housing strategies, yet a detailed set of urban sustainability indicators are neither well defined nor integrated. The primary goal of this article is to articulate the components of economic, environmental, and social sustainability (e.g. land-use, energy use, design process, accessibility, density, affordability), while outlining a set of guidelines for affordable housing that can be operationalized by agencies fostering a more sustainable quality of life, such as TOKI. The article begins with a review of literature to identify sustainability indicators applicable to low-income residential environments, then examines two TOKI housing projects in Turkish cities, Bursa and Amasya.

The Importance of Social Value in Agroecological Farms: Adjusting the Common Good Balance Sheet to Improve Their Sustainable Management

Organic farming offers the producers the possibility of focusing on their business while obtaining a competitive advantage. Nevertheless, this is centered in specific activities of the production process, thus only creating environmental value. Therefore, it is not an approach based on sustainability. As a consequence of this, it becomes necessary to enlarge this approach toward people (social value) and profitability (economic value). The objective of this work is to describe a tool based on the Economy for the Common Good model applied to the agroecological sector. We propose to adapt the Common Good Matrix to the characteristics of agroecological farms to offer a useful tool to manage and monitor Mediterranean small farms following a sustainability approach. The methodology consists of: (1) A bibliometric analysis of agroecological publications to identify sustainability indicators; (2) Delphi method application to perform a screening among the identified indicators; and (3) the establishment of peer groups of producers to carry out jointly their Common Good Balance Sheets. Eighteen experts participated in the Delphi study, and 15 companies participated in peer groups, of which seven obtained certification as companies of the common good. The bibliometric analysis shows that there is a gap of publications on agroecology and sustainability. The results obtained from peer study confirm that those agroecological companies that apply the adapted Common Good Matrix can implement corporate sustainability more easily.

Identification of sustainability indicators in the civil aviation sector in Dubai: a stakeholders’ perspective

PurposeThe civil aviation sector in Dubai has been contributing to its economic development by enhancing transportation services, allowing for the establishment of trade links, promoting tourism and providing job opportunities. Despite being a thriving sector of economic activity (Dubai was the third busiest airport in the world in 2018), a common understanding among the stakeholders on the sector’s long-term sustainability strategy is missing. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the identification of important sustainability indicators in the civil aviation sector in Dubai.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses the stakeholder theory to identify sustainability indicators. It deploys a qualitative research design that collects data through multiple focus groups, and it accounts for the stakeholders’ views toward key sustainability indicators. This research classified stakeholders completely in a separate matrix preventing their integration and therefore the confounding of their views. The study addresses the complexity of sustainability in the sector and identifies key indicators based on comprehensive and valid data from different stakeholders. The study focuses separately on the three pillars of sustainability: social, economic and environmental sustainability and identifies sustainability indicators for each pillar from the views of stakeholders. The study uses thematic analysis to produce results by identifying themes according to the collected data.FindingsThe study finds that there is a lack of sustainability knowledge and awareness in the civil aviation sector in Dubai despite its buoyant growth and expansion. The results show that stakeholders highlight the importance of social sustainability indicators that value equitable development in the pursuit of business goals. They also value economic sustainability indicators that focus on changing consumption patterns and increasing preservation. They finally focus on environmental sustainability indicators that promote eco-efficiency and renewable energy. However, considerable differences exist among stakeholders regarding the importance and priority of their suggested indicators.Practical implicationsThe implications of the study are theoretical and practical. In the case of the former, it would contribute toward the reduction of uncertainty in the civil aviation sector in Dubai regarding the policy actions required to improve the sector’s sustainability. It is done by identifying the stakeholders’ views on the key sustainability indicators for each pillar of sustainability. In the case of practical implications, the outcomes of the study highlight specific directions that policy actions should take. Although the results are local, they can have tentative global policy implications. Finally, the results of the study are instrumental in addressing the sustainability debate within the civil aviation sector not only in Dubai but also globally.Originality/valueThe study extends existing research efforts to identify sustainability indicators in the civil aviation sector by considering the three different pillars of sustainability and by accounting for the diverse stakeholders’ views on the identification of key sustainability indicators. The study should be extended to account for the role of technological readiness in the region of other innovative approaches in the current civil aviation sectors.

Desenvolvimento de painel de indicadores para suporte à decisão de investimentos em sustentabilidade

The Industrial Revolution contributed to technological advancement and intensified exploitation of natural resources. As a result, it has impacted the environment and contributed to increased social inequality. In this context, as society's social and environmental awareness has increased, business organizations have begun to promote corporate social responsibility initiatives with the aim of contributing positively to better working conditions, better environmental conditions and other sustainability issues ( NOBRE et al., 2012; SCHEEL, 2016; KLARIN, 2018). Thus, this dissertation aimed to elaborate a panel of indicators to support the organizational decision in the application of corporate investments in sustainability, in order to contribute to the development of the territories. The methodology used consisted of a literature review, documentary research and focus group application. The analysis period covered 17 technical-scientific documents, from 2010 to 2018 to identify sustainability indicators. The study was limited to the state of Maranhao. Data modeling was performed with the support of the Technique for Order Performance by Similarity to Ideal Solution -TOPSIS method and the analysis with the triangulation method. As a result of the research, a Power BI indicator panel was built to support decision making in the analysis of the application of sustainability investments dynamically.

Sustainability and collaborative apparel consumption: putting the digital ‘sharing’ economy under the microscope

ABSTRACTDigital collaborative consumption (CC) models have been partly buoyed by growing concerns about the ecological and social impacts of consumption, for which the apparel industry abounds. However, a cursory glimpse at current CC platforms for apparel raises many questions about whether a meaningful contraction in the overall pace and scale of apparel production or consumption will actually be realised. Yet, there are little means by which to evaluate these consumptive phenomena. This conceptual paper presents a ternary relationship framework to evaluate the capacity of digital collaborative apparel consumption to align with the aims of sustainable consumption, identifying sustainability indicators and relevant dimensions in the context of three key relationships that are considered distinct in the context of CC: consumer–product, consumer–consumer, and consumer–business. The synthesis of previous research indicates that resource efficiency, community, and the nature of the business are considered key sustainability indicators for the evaluation of these platforms.

The integrated model of GIS and AHPVIKOR for evaluating sustainable land-use management

Evaluation of sustainable land-use management (ESLM) is basically a multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) because it always has to take into considerations several different issues from socioeconomic to ecological and environmental ones. In this study a model is developed to handle MCDA problems by integrating GIS and AHP - VIKOR (The name VIKOR appeared in 1990 from Serbian: VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje, that means: Multicriteria Optimization and Compromise Solution). The model consists of three steps: (i) Identify sustainability indicators using the FAO approach (1993b, 2007); (ii) Calculate the weights of each sustainability indicators using AHP; (iii) thematic layers connected to each sustainability indicator are built in GIS then overlaid to calculate suitability index (Si) for each region using VIKOR, finally rank Si to determine regions suitable for each land use purpose. Comparing of the results of this model (GIS and AHP-VIKOR) and the results of GIS and AHPTOPSIS, GIS and AHP -WAM (calculate Si for each region by Weighted Average Method) under the same conditions of Duc Trong district - Lam Dong province. The similarities and differences of three models are also discussed, and then evaluated each model.

Evaluation of sustainability indicators of industrial buildings focused on petrochemical projects

It is widely accepted that the construction sector is one of the main contributors to sustainable development, and its importance in encouraging environmental protection, economic growth, and social advancement is undeniable. Many divisions of construction industry are accustomed to sustainable development concept especially environmental issues but hardly economic and social aspects. Among these divisions, the industrial buildings have gained less attention, while many developing and even developed countries require growth in industrial areas. This may highlight the need for studying sustainability in industrial buildings to accomplish sustainable development goals. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate and identify sustainability indicators (environmental, social, and economic) for three phases of construction, operation and maintenance, and demolition of petrochemical projects. Additionally, the collected data from a questionnaire survey are analyzed by evaluating the mean values and adopting the structure equation modeling approach. Then the importance of individual indicators and their correlation with main aspects of sustainability are examined. Moreover, this study examines the relationship among three dimensions of sustainable development concept and their influence on each other and the related phases. Furthermore, the most important indicators in this study are compared with some previous research.

Sustainability Indicators for Assessing and Monitoring the Resource Management of Pak Phanang River Basin, Thailand

Abstract Pak Phanang river basin, one of the most important river basins in Thailand, is located in the middle of the southern peninsular. It has diverse resources and land use, and complex and dynamic ecosystem in terms of water use, flooding, and physical change. The construction of the water gate in 1999 has caused drastic changes in the ecosystem of the basin and has led to subsequent effects on the livelihood of the people in the basin. The objectives of this study, hence, was to identify the appropriate sustainability indicators for assessing and monitoring the basin land use through the reviews of historical perspectives, together with the natural and socio-economic impacts on natural resource degradation and challenges. The relationship between causes, problems, and symptoms of different ecological zones were analyzed and used as the basis of identifying sustainability indicators for further in-depth study.

Investing in Sustainability

Given the increased stakeholder focus on sustainability, companies are facing the challenge of systematically collecting and processing sustainability information. Identifying sustainability indicators will become imperative for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), especially in the extremely segmented and highly specialized food industry – entailing opportunities, but also costs and risks. This article is a management approach and a basis for discussing the classification of sustainability reporting systems in existing Information Technology (IT) infrastructures from an economical point of view. Supported by a case study from the meat industry, the authors discuss to what extent sustainability information is reflected by an existing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System, or which investments would be required for companies to facilitate the communication of sustainability data. Additionally and as a result, the article gives a schematic explanation how process changes can be evaluated economically by capturing and processing sustainability information, and thus how to decide in favor of or against a certain level of IT-based environmental information processing functionality.

A methodology to identify sustainability indicators in construction project management—Application to infrastructure projects in Spain

Since the birth of the sustainable development concept and its application to urban planning and construction projects, countless sustainability indicator sets have appeared. This paper analyses the problems posed by these sets and the need to establish a method to identify and select an indicator set which includes every participant involved in the life cycle of a project, to find a proper balance between all actors. Sustainability is proposed as an opportunity for improvement throughout the project. Thus, we have developed a methodology to identify, classify and prioritise sustainability indicators based on risk management standards. The application of this method to infrastructure projects in Spain will reveal the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed method and is the first step to develop an indicator set for civil engineering projects.

A framework model for assessing sustainability impacts of urban development

Urban man-made assets have impacts not just on those who develop, build and operate them, but on people who may be quite remote from them. For example, the impact of a building on greenhouse gas emissions arising from fossil fuel use, pollution caused by travel to work patterns and employment opportunities provided by urban developments may be far removed from their immediate locality. There is a growing recognition of the need to internalize these external costs and benefits in accountancy frameworks, drawing on experiences in accounting for sustainable development. This desire, however, presents major challenges in identifying, evaluating and allocating the external environmental, social and economic costs and benefits of an urban environment. This paper reports on the development of an Urban Development Sustainability Assessment Model (UD-SAM) which allows decision makers to identify sustainability indicators (economic, environmental and social) and which may lead to more holistic evaluation of the sustainability impact of elements of the urban environment. The UD-SAM builds on a sustainability assessment model (SAM) developed originally in the oil industry. This paper describes how SAM has been tailored for the construction industry and urban sustainability assessment, and how a set of generic sustainable development indicators have been identified and validated by stakeholders.

Development of sustainability indicators by communities in China: a case study of Chongming County, Shanghai

Public participation as a means of identifying sustainability indicators for Chongming County, Shanghai, China was evaluated by an international group drawing on established best practice. An initial ‘long list’ of 86 sustainability indicators, based on previous indicator systems developed in China, was identified. This ‘long list’ was reduced via consultations with local academics and local-government officers from Shanghai City and Chongming County to a ‘short list’ of 17 indicators. This short-list was subjected to further community consultation involving 159 local-government officers, teachers, students (aged 12–14 years), farmers and workers. Data from the consultations indicated differences in the understanding of sustainable development among the different sectors. By combining the data from the different sectors it was possible to identify a consensus around 4 core and 7 additional indicators. These are proposed as indicators which could be used to steer local activities directed towards sustainable development. The list of indicators produced by the people of Chongming Island was compared to local indicator systems in Europe. In comparison with European lists the Chongming list was found to have a greater emphasis on economic development but a similar level of concern for environmental matters. This study has special significance as it reports on the implementation of a process involving local resident participation in the process of sustainable development in China.