Environmental performance indicators

To improve its environmental impact, an SME should measure the impact of its activity on the environment.

SMEs can use indicators to measure their impact on the environment. Entrepreneurs may use these to make decisions relating to the environmental performance of their production site.

Here are the 18 most relevant indicators in this context:

Table. Presents the 18 environmental performance indicators of the OECD

Source: OECD guidelines on sustainable production

Inputs (Input = I):

  • I1. Non-renewable materials intensity
  • I2. Restricted substances intensity
  • I3. Recycled/reused content

Manufacture (Operations = O):

  • O1. Water intensity
  • O2. Energy intensity
  • O3. Renewable proportion of energy
  • O4. Greenhouse gas intensity
  • O5. Residuals intensity
  • O6. Air releases intensity
  • O7. Water releases intensity
  • O8. Proportion of natural land

Products (Product = P):

  • P1. Recycled/reused content
  • P2. Recyclability
  • P3. Renewable materials content
  • P4. Non-renewable materials intensity
  • P5. Restricted substances content
  • P6. Energy consumption intensity
  • P7. Greenhouse gas emissions intensity

These indicators can also potentially be distributed to customers, employees, partners and the SME’s local community, to provide information about the efforts made by the company in relation to the environment.

These indicators also make it possible to compare the activity of one SME with another and to further improve performances.



Information

Last modification 28.02.2020

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