Sustainability assessment criteria for projects and technologies : judgements of industry managers

Abstract

Industries are increasingly under pressure to incorporate the objectives of sustainable development into company policies and decision-making processes. This study introduces a framework of sustainability assessment criteria that are relevant to projects and developments in industry. The study attempts to establish whether the professional exposure and experience of decision-makers at different management levels influence the individual’s perceptions of the relative importance of the three main dimensions of the framework. The study finds that exposure and experience do not influence the weighting values. The study further highlights the importance of distinguishing between internal decision-making within industry and external decision-making where assessments are used for public reporting. That is, the context within which the three dimensions are weighted greatly determines individual and societal perceptions.

AFRIKAANS: Industrieë is toenemend onder druk om die doelwitte van volhoubare ontwikkeling in maatskappybeleid en besluitnemingsprosesse te inkorporeer. ’n Raamwerk van volhoubare assesseringskriteria word voorgestel wat relevant is vir projekte en ontwikkelinge in die industrie. Hierdie studie beoog om te bepaal of professionele blootstelling en ondervinding van besluitnemers ’n invloed het op individuele persepsies van die relatiewe belangrikheid van die drie hooffasette van die raamwerk. Die studie vind dat ondervinding en blootstelling geen invloed uitoefen op die relatiewe gewigte nie. Die studie lig verder die belangrikheid uit om te onderskei tussen interne besluitneming binne maatskappye, en eksterne besluitneming waar assessering gebruik word vir publieke rapportering. Met ander woorde, die konteks waarin gewigte op die drie dimensies geplaas word, bepaal grootliks individuele- en gemeenskapspersepsies.