The chemical industry uses various metrics and methods to evaluate the sustainability contribution of their products. Chemical products can be assessed using quantitatve methods such as Life-cycle assessment and Eco-efficiency analysis or qualitative methods such as Product Sustainability Assessments developed by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development [1] and Sustainable Solution Steering developed by BASF.
Sustainable Solution Steering Information
Sustainable Solution Steering (colloq.: TripleS) is a product classification method. [2] The method aims to classify products in terms of identified sustainability concerns and sustainability contribution to defined sustainability criteria. The sustainability criteria covers the three dimensions of sustainability: economic success, social responsibility and environmental protection. [3]
Sustainable Solution Steering was developed in 2012 by BASF. [4]
Objectives
The objective of Sustainable Solution Steering is to provide a transparent and consistent evaluation of the sustainability performance of products within the chemical industry. [2] However, the method has also found use in other industries. [5] By identifying key drivers and issues in industries, the method assesses the sustainability contribution of each product in its specific application and region. Solutions in their respective application and region are reviewed in terms of defined sustainability criteria. [6] The approach evaluates the value chain from cradle to grave considering industry and region-specific views in the market. [7] The sustainability criteria balances the three dimensions of sustainability: [4]
- Economy
- Environment
- Society
Classification categories
Products can be grouped into four categories according to their sustainability performances in their respective apllication, industry and region. [7]
- Accelerator: Substantial sustainability contribution in the value chain
- Performer: Meets basic sustainability standards in the market
- Transitioner: Specific sustainability issues which are being actively addressed
- Challenged: Significant sustainability concern identified and action plan in development or implementation
Sustainability criteria
The sustainability criteria are based on a materiality analysis done in 2010. [8] A product must contribute to at least one of the eight criteria to be classified as an Accelerator. [7] If the product contributes to cost savings downstream, it also has to contribute to another criterion to be classified as an Accelerator. [6]
Economy
- Cost savings downstream: product enables cost savings downstream
Ecology
- Biodiversity or renewables: product has a positive impact on biodiversity / resource scarcity
- Climate change and energy: product contributes to lower energy / greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint compared to market standard or enables energy/ GHG savings downstream
- Emission reduction (air, noise, soil): product helps realising a reduction of pollution downstream
- Resource efficiency: product enables lower use of resources
- Water scarcity and pollution: product helps reducing the water footprint, enables water savings downstream, decreases water-pollution downstream or provides solutions of water treatment and water purification
Society
- Health and safety: product tackles toxicity issues, or other health and safety related challenges
- Hunger and poverty: based on the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1: No poverty and SDG 2: Zero Hunger defined by the United Nations. [9] [10]
Methodology
First, a product is subjected to a Check for Basic Sustainability Requirements to identify, which are likely to be affected by a sustainability issue. Each product in its respective application and region is evaluated based on corporate minimum and stakeholder specific economic, environmental and social criteria. [6]
Products, which are identified as likely to be affected by a sustainability issue are subjected to a seperate Impact Check. This analyses the significance of the sustainability issue and classifies product as Transitioner or Challenged. [6]
Products, that pass the initial Check for Basic Sustainability Requirements are subject to a Check for Sustainability Value Contribution. This evaluates the product's sustainability contribution compared to competitive products in the same application and region using the sustainability criteria.
To be an Accelerator, a product needs to fulfill following criteria: [6]
- Substantial contribution to at least one sustainability criterion in the life cycle (no negative impacts on any other relevant sustainability criteria)
- Performance better than a sufficiently large share of alternative solutions
- Application is not directly linked to relevant challenged or disputed societal license to operate
References
- ^ "Framework for portfolio sustainability assessments". World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). Retrieved 2021-02-16.
- ^ a b "Portfolio Sustainability Assessment". Sphera. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
- ^ Kicherer, Andreas (September 2014). "Sustainable Solution Steering Methodology, process and third party assurance". ResearchGate – via ResearchGate.
- ^
a
b Haupt, Christine (April 2018).
"Helping customers assess their portfolio with BASF's Sustainable Solution Steering methodology". Sustainable Brands. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
{{ cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status ( link) - ^ "BioMar uses BASF's Sustainable Solution Steering methodology on their raw material portfolio | BioMar". www.biomar.com. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
- ^ a b c d e "Sustainable Solution Steering". www.basf.com. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
- ^ a b c Kicherer, Andreas; Voeste, Dirk (2014). Sustainable Solution Steering. Unpublished. doi: 10.13140/2.1.3032.0649.
- ^ "Topics". www.basf.com. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
- ^ "Goal 2 | Department of Economic and Social Affairs". sdgs.un.org. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
- ^ "Goal 1 | Department of Economic and Social Affairs". sdgs.un.org. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
The chemical industry uses various metrics and methods to evaluate the sustainability contribution of their products. Chemical products can be assessed using quantitatve methods such as Life-cycle assessment and Eco-efficiency analysis or qualitative methods such as Product Sustainability Assessments developed by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development [1] and Sustainable Solution Steering developed by BASF.
Sustainable Solution Steering Information
Sustainable Solution Steering (colloq.: TripleS) is a product classification method. [2] The method aims to classify products in terms of identified sustainability concerns and sustainability contribution to defined sustainability criteria. The sustainability criteria covers the three dimensions of sustainability: economic success, social responsibility and environmental protection. [3]
Sustainable Solution Steering was developed in 2012 by BASF. [4]
Objectives
The objective of Sustainable Solution Steering is to provide a transparent and consistent evaluation of the sustainability performance of products within the chemical industry. [2] However, the method has also found use in other industries. [5] By identifying key drivers and issues in industries, the method assesses the sustainability contribution of each product in its specific application and region. Solutions in their respective application and region are reviewed in terms of defined sustainability criteria. [6] The approach evaluates the value chain from cradle to grave considering industry and region-specific views in the market. [7] The sustainability criteria balances the three dimensions of sustainability: [4]
- Economy
- Environment
- Society
Classification categories
Products can be grouped into four categories according to their sustainability performances in their respective apllication, industry and region. [7]
- Accelerator: Substantial sustainability contribution in the value chain
- Performer: Meets basic sustainability standards in the market
- Transitioner: Specific sustainability issues which are being actively addressed
- Challenged: Significant sustainability concern identified and action plan in development or implementation
Sustainability criteria
The sustainability criteria are based on a materiality analysis done in 2010. [8] A product must contribute to at least one of the eight criteria to be classified as an Accelerator. [7] If the product contributes to cost savings downstream, it also has to contribute to another criterion to be classified as an Accelerator. [6]
Economy
- Cost savings downstream: product enables cost savings downstream
Ecology
- Biodiversity or renewables: product has a positive impact on biodiversity / resource scarcity
- Climate change and energy: product contributes to lower energy / greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint compared to market standard or enables energy/ GHG savings downstream
- Emission reduction (air, noise, soil): product helps realising a reduction of pollution downstream
- Resource efficiency: product enables lower use of resources
- Water scarcity and pollution: product helps reducing the water footprint, enables water savings downstream, decreases water-pollution downstream or provides solutions of water treatment and water purification
Society
- Health and safety: product tackles toxicity issues, or other health and safety related challenges
- Hunger and poverty: based on the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1: No poverty and SDG 2: Zero Hunger defined by the United Nations. [9] [10]
Methodology
First, a product is subjected to a Check for Basic Sustainability Requirements to identify, which are likely to be affected by a sustainability issue. Each product in its respective application and region is evaluated based on corporate minimum and stakeholder specific economic, environmental and social criteria. [6]
Products, which are identified as likely to be affected by a sustainability issue are subjected to a seperate Impact Check. This analyses the significance of the sustainability issue and classifies product as Transitioner or Challenged. [6]
Products, that pass the initial Check for Basic Sustainability Requirements are subject to a Check for Sustainability Value Contribution. This evaluates the product's sustainability contribution compared to competitive products in the same application and region using the sustainability criteria.
To be an Accelerator, a product needs to fulfill following criteria: [6]
- Substantial contribution to at least one sustainability criterion in the life cycle (no negative impacts on any other relevant sustainability criteria)
- Performance better than a sufficiently large share of alternative solutions
- Application is not directly linked to relevant challenged or disputed societal license to operate
References
- ^ "Framework for portfolio sustainability assessments". World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). Retrieved 2021-02-16.
- ^ a b "Portfolio Sustainability Assessment". Sphera. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
- ^ Kicherer, Andreas (September 2014). "Sustainable Solution Steering Methodology, process and third party assurance". ResearchGate – via ResearchGate.
- ^
a
b Haupt, Christine (April 2018).
"Helping customers assess their portfolio with BASF's Sustainable Solution Steering methodology". Sustainable Brands. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
{{ cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status ( link) - ^ "BioMar uses BASF's Sustainable Solution Steering methodology on their raw material portfolio | BioMar". www.biomar.com. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
- ^ a b c d e "Sustainable Solution Steering". www.basf.com. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
- ^ a b c Kicherer, Andreas; Voeste, Dirk (2014). Sustainable Solution Steering. Unpublished. doi: 10.13140/2.1.3032.0649.
- ^ "Topics". www.basf.com. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
- ^ "Goal 2 | Department of Economic and Social Affairs". sdgs.un.org. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
- ^ "Goal 1 | Department of Economic and Social Affairs". sdgs.un.org. Retrieved 2021-02-16.