A prática de divulgar relatórios de sustentabilidade tem se tornando comum em organizações por todo o mundo; em especial no Brasil, há uma forte tendência de crescimento na adoção desta prática. O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar porque as organizações reportam e os aspectos positivos e negativos no modelo de reporte de sustentabilidade proposto pela Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), na opinião dos funcionários apontados nos relatórios de sustentabilidade como responsáveis por eles; estas informações são importantes porque poucas pesquisas investigam os relatórios de sustentabilidade a partir deste ponto de vista e porque oferece à GRI pontos específicos a serem melhorados. A pesquisa foi realizada por meio da análise de conteúdo, sem a utilização de softwares específicos para o método, das respostas dos funcionários de 27 empresas às questões: Por que elaborar relatório de sustentabilidade? Quais aspectos positivos você identifica no modelo de reporte proposto pela GRI? e quais os negativos? Como resultado, foram obtidas sete categorias sobre por que as organizações emitem relatório de sustentabilidade: apoiar a gestão, acompanhar o mercado, prestar contas, contribuir com outras empresas, abertura do capital, relacionamento com stakeholders e melhorar a imagem da empresa. As categorias de aspectos positivos identificadas foram: melhora a gestão da empresa, proporciona uma ferramenta de marketing, o guia proposto para a elaboração do relatório, possibilidade de legitimação e auxilia no benchmarking. E as categorias de aspectos negativos: dificuldades no processo proposto, dificuldades internas, modelo do relatório final, avaliação dos relatórios, visão externa dos relatórios, indicadores, utilização do relatório como ferramenta de marketing e foco em grandes empresas. Como conclusão, verificou-se que as empresas encontram nas diretrizes da GRI mais do que um modelo de reporte, chegando a representar uma ferramenta de gestão da sustentabilidade; porém, os aspectos negativos identificados colocam em risco a eficácia do projeto de reporte, principalmente devido ao excesso de flexibilidade dos relatórios, o que permite a emissão de diversos formatos de relatórios, muitos dos quais pouco objetivos e com chance de conter informações não confiáveis. Sugerem-se então algumas propostas de melhorias, entre elas a definição de um quadro-resumo que forneça ao leitor uma visão global do desempenho da organização em sustentabilidade, a definição de um modelo específico de relatório final e o desenvolvimento de um novo padrão de classificação dos relatórios. / The practice of disclosing sustainability reporting is becoming common in organizations throughout the world; especially in Brazil, there is a strong upward trend in the adoption of this practice. The objective of this study was to identify positive and negative aspects in the framework for sustainability reporting proposed by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), according to the opinion of the staff responsible for the report; this information is important because few studies investigate the sustainability reports from this point of view and because it offers to GRI specific points to be improved. Held data collection by means of open questions that evaluated: why report sustainability reports; positive aspects in the guidelines; and negative aspects of the proposed guidelines. The investigation of responses obtained was through content analysis, using an exploratory qualitative approach. As a result, there are seven categories on why organizations issue a sustainability report: management support, market monitoring, accountability, contribute to other companies, going public, stakeholder relations and improve the company\'s image. The categories of positive aspects are: improved management of the company, provides a marketing tool, the proposed method for preparing the report tab, possibility of legitimation and helps in benchmarking. And the categories of negative aspects: difficulties in the proposed process, internal difficulties, model of the final report, evaluation reports, external view of the reports, indicators, use the report as a marketing tool and focus on large companies. In conclusion, it was found that companies encounter on the GRI guidelines more than one reporting model, came to represent a management tool for sustainability; However, the negative aspects identified jeopardize the effectiveness of the project reporting, mainly due to excessive flexibility of reporting, which allows the issuance of various types of reports, many of which little goals and likely to contain unreliable information. Then are suggested some proposals for improvements, including propose a summary table that provides the reader with an overview of the organization\'s performance in sustainability, propose a specific model of the final report and develop a new standard for classification od reports.

Contributing to sustainable development is commonly noted as an overall goal for both Sustainability Appraisal (SA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). Over a decade ago, EU Directive 2001/42/EC (SEA Directive) reinforced the need for strategic assessment of plans and programmes in the UK. However, the SEA Directive does not stipulate the methodological approach and, as environmental matters are devolved to the individual nations of the UK, implementation is varied. This research considers strategic assessment processes in England and Scotland and the implications of system variation upon the contribution made to sustainable development. Attention is paid to the purposes expressed for strategic assessment, the roles and relationships between actors and organisations involved and also the processes, practices and outcomes of SA and SEA. Two case studies of SA in England and two of SEA in Scotland as applied to development plans are analysed. A range of purposes for both SA and SEA are identified, including; regulatory compliance, identifying and documenting impacts, considering options and alternatives, allowing consultation, and informing and influencing plans. This research concludes that there exists variation between cases in the ambition held for strategic assessment, ranging from basic compliance to influencing plans. This research then focuses on the relationships between actors and organisations involved in SA and SEA with particular attention given to the role of assessment practitioners, planners and consultees. It is found that independence or ‘distance’, to provide legitimacy, and ‘closeness’, to enable influence, are both considered desirable features of the relationship between planning and assessment. In addition, overlap between consultation on both plans and assessment reports adds complexity to the role of consultees. Finally, this research concludes that strategic assessment influence is largely limited to marginal modifications to policy wording and explanatory text, including; strengthening language, increasing clarity, cross referencing to other policies and plans, and requiring lower tier assessments. Thus, strategic assessment fails to achieve more substantial influence, significantly limiting its ability to contribute to sustainability transition in development planning. A number of institutional barriers to increasing strategic assessment influence and contribution to sustainable development or sustainability are identified.

The residential construction sector in the UK plays an important role in society’s wellbeing as it provides shelter, employment and promotes economic growth. However, the sector has been identified as a large contributor to climate change, resource depletion and is associated with different socio-economic issues such as fuel poverty and house affordability. The residential construction sector is growing quickly due to a high housing demand, as will the associated impacts unless significant changes are made. Several studies have assessed the environmental impacts of the residential construction sector, while the social and economic aspects of sustainability are often ignored but are equally important for sustainable development. This thesis presents a sustainability assessment framework capable of addressing the environmental, economic and social issues of the residential construction sector supply chain, using a life cycle approach in order to contribute toward an improved understanding of the current and future trends in the sector.The methodology developed has been applied to the residential construction sector in the UK and demonstrated through three case studies of conventional, passive and zero-carbon houses as well as a sustainability assessment at the sectoral level. The main stakeholders identified here are construction companies and workforce, home owners and occupiers, suppliers, local authorities and the government. The main sustainability issues are resource depletion, waste generation, environmental impacts such as global warming (GWP), ozone depletion, house price and affordability, contribution to GDP, provision of employment, health and safety, impact on local communities and business ethics. The assessment tools used to assess the environmental and economic sustainability are Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC), respectively. Social sustainability has been assessed using different social sustainability indicators applicable to the residential construction sector. LCA results indicate that zero-carbon houses have the lowest GWP of the three house types considered, being 71% lower than for the conventional house, compared to a 59% reduction for passive houses. However, passive houses have a better overall environmental performance as they have the lowest impacts for most environmental impact categories. LCC results, on the other hand, indicate that the total life cycle costs for zero-carbon houses are 21% higher than for conventional houses because of the additional cost of renewable technologies, while for passive houses costs are comparable to conventional houses. At a sectoral level, zero-carbon houses can achieve reductions of 13% of the sector’s annual GWP compared to conventional houses, however this will cost the residential construction sector an additional £3 billion per year. The construction of passive houses will cost an additional £1 billion per year compared to conventional houses but can help by reducing the sector’s annual GWP by 10%.This study shows that the current state of the housing sector is environmentally unsustainable and urgent changes must be made in the way houses are constructed and managed. However, the residential construction sector must overcome many socio-economic barriers before introducing low-carbon houses on a large scale.

This study examines the relationship between ecological sustainability and violent conflict at both the interstate and intrastate level. In particular, this study explores the effect of ecological sustainability of a society on the initiation and the occurrence of violent conflict. By developing a theory, which is named "Eco-peace," this study hypothesizes that the more ecologically sustainable the socioeconomic system of societies, the less likely the society is to initiate interstate conflict. Regarding intrastate conflict, it is hypothesized that the more ecologically sustainable the mode of development pursued by the Third World society is, the more likely that society is to experience intrastate conflicts. To test the hypotheses, this study conducts cross-national time-series analyses for 97-127 countries. Negative binomial and Poisson models are used for interstate conflict during 1960-2001, and logit and rare event logit models are used for intrastate conflict during 1960-1999. Militarized interstate dispute dataset and Uppsala Armed Conflict Program dataset are employed for interstate and intrastate conflict. For ecological sustainability, Ecological sustainability factor index and Environmental sustainability index are used. Through the analyses, this study found the supports for the theoretical argument that the ecologically unsustainable modes of development cause the initiation of interstate conflict and the incidence of intra-state conflict in the Third World.

Climate change is increasingly acknowledged as one of the greatest threats facing humanity in the 21st century. Given the enormity of the potential impact of global warming, worldwide collective action from all sectors of society appears to be the only appropriate way to address the problem. Within the corporate sector companies appear to be responding to the threat through the introduction of climate change mitigation strategies. Understanding the motivations driving such action could provide insights into how best to engage companies to ensure a sustainable future. The purpose of this study was to determine the motivation for corporate investment in sustainability projects, with a focus on the voluntary climate change mitigation actions of South African companies. The first phase of the study focused on conceptual research through a literature review which investigated sustainability in a corporate context with a view to understanding motivational drivers. The second phase of the study empirically tested the insights obtained from the literature. The literature review led to the development of a proposed conceptual framework which illustrated proposed linkages between business and the natural environment. The key motivational drivers supporting these linkages appeared to be legitimacy concerns, the financial business case and moral responsibility. The empirical phase took the form of an exploratory case study focused on six South African companies across three industries. An interpretive research process was followed using pattern models to analyse the data. To enhance transparency and rigour, qualitative data analysis software was used in the analytical process. Three key areas were investigated and the main findings were as follows: <ul> <li>Overview of sustainability values: The sustainability values of the companies reflected top management commitment to environmental issues and a shift away from a purely technocentric view of the business relationship with the natural environment however, these sentiments were not necessarily translated into actions.</li> <li>Motivations for sustainability initiatives: As suggested by the proposed conceptual framework, company motivations were driven by legitimacy concerns, the financial business case and moral responsibility. In addition, the study revealed a number of sub-drivers which provided additional information regarding motivations.</li> <li>Impact of voluntary action on company value: From a value perspective there was limited disclosure regarding the financial implications of climate change mitigation, however there was general agreement that the financial impact of mitigation action would be either neutral or positive as current strategies focus predominantly on energy and operational efficiencies.</li> </ul> Therefore, while companies appear to be motivated by a range of factors, the key consideration in decisions taken focus predominantly on aspects linked to the current paradigm dominated by financial concerns. There is little evidence of an evolution of sustainability consciousness which could potentially lead to a new sustainable business paradigm. In light of these findings, it would appear that current solutions to climate change issues need to send financial signals to companies to ensure adoption of mitigation actions. Further work is required to understand what will drive a fundamental value shift in the way companies operate to ensure a sustainable future. Copyright / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Financial Management / unrestricted

The attention on green building is driven by the desire to reduce a building’s running cost over its entire life cycle. However, with the use of sustainable technologies and more environmentally friendly products in the building sector, the construction industry contributes significantly to sustainable actions of our society. Different certification systems have entered the market with the aim to measure a building’s sustainability. However, each system uses its own set of criteria for the purpose of rating. The primary goal of this study is to identify a comprehensive set of criteria for the measurement of building sustainability, and therefore to facilitate the comparison of existing rating methods. The collection and analysis of the criteria, identified through a comprehensive literature review, has led to the establishment of two additional categories besides the 3 pillars of sustainability. The comparative analyses presented in this thesis reveal strengths and weaknesses of the chosen green building certification systems - LEED, BREEAM, and DGNB.

abstract: In this multi-media dissertation, water is used metaphorically to equate the process of learning with embracing change. Paradigm shifts needed for sustainability require transformative learning where one is open to being shaped by new knowledge and experience. Properties of water – such as molecular bonding and phase changes – uncover lessons for humans’ adaptability. Given that human bodies are comprised mostly of water – what implications exist for human capacity to similarly undergo continuous change? An arts- based research methodology is practiced to produce a four-chapter project. Artistic methods of data collection and communication retain subjective complexity of lived experiences central to learning processes. Each chapter is prepared for a target audience and addresses widening scales of creative learning for sustainability. Chapter one is a narrative ethnography that focuses on a personal creative process for sustainability learning. Chapter two is a co- authored journal that covers creative learning tools and design principles for sustainable classrooms. Chapter three is an open-access and adaptive, online toolkit that shares creative methods to cultivate curiosity and critical contemplation. Chapter four is an interactive showcase event that explores how water can inform and inspire individual and collective learning for sustainability. This four-chapter project addresses the power of creative learning for sustainability at the personal, familial, formal classroom, informal online learning community, and public scales. Arts-based methods harness aesthetic power, welcome subjective complexity, and allow multiple meanings to be interpreted from research results. This multi- media project stretches the conventional structure of sustainability dissertations. The bridge between the arts and sciences is strengthened as this project shows synergies between these two ways of knowing. This research invites what can be learned from the wisdom of water – to both change and be changed by circumstances. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Sustainability 2020

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Small businesses are significant contributors to a nation’s job creation and employment. These enterprises face many challenges that often lead to failure within 5 years. Some small business owners fail because they lack the necessary strategies for maintaining a sustainable business operation. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive phenomenological study was to analyze how to overcome the high failure rate of small businesses in Accra, Ghana. The conceptual framework for this study was institutional and planned behavior theories. The research questions sought participant’s experiences with small business survival that may have led to sustainable businesses. Data were collected from 20 participants using semistructured telephone interviews in Accra, Ghana. Participants were small business owners in the consumer products industry. Eligibility required full-time self-employed persons aged 26-65 years who must have been in business beyond 5 years. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data. After data analysis, member checking was used to establish the trustworthiness of the outcomes. The main result of the study was that small businesses that had identified viable business opportunities in sustaining the needs and challenges of potential customers reported gains in sales and customer retention. The findings were significant for improving sustainable small business efforts, improving self-employment, reducing poverty through inclusive business models, and creating positive social change. Small business owners and policymakers might benefit from this research by reducing redundancies in their operations. This effort should promote an environment that enhances wealth creation and the quality of life of small business owners in Accra, Ghana.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / This thesis is both a qualitative and quantitative study, investigating the sustainability of Credit Management Services Limited (CMS) within the broader context of the Zambian micro finance industry. Micro finance is regarded as one of the tools for poverty reduction. As such, making microfinance available to many poor people is the purpose of microJinance. Over the years it has become clear that microfinance institutions have to operate efficiently and be self-sustai nable in order to continue assisting the poor. However. in spite of the support and encouragement given for sustainability, evidence shows that there are few sustainable microfinanee institutions in the world. The various factors impacting upon sustainability therefore, need to be examined and means of enhancing sustainabi Ii ty mapped out. The study brought to the fo re the main viewpoints regarding sustainability and how they have been inl1uenced by experiences of MFls around the world. The framework for discussion and analysis of operational sustainability, financial sustainability and operational e ffi ciency is also set out. The study discusses the Zambian microfinance industry and shows how and why the industry has emerged and grown in the past decade. Some constraints are identified that need to be dealt with in order to enhance sustainability of the industry. The study of CMS reveals that the institution is not yet fi nancially sustainable, but that its effi ciency levels are steadily increasing as it has put in place mechanisms to recover costs, charge economic rates of interest and increase and maintain its client outreach. Indicators are that it is moving in the right direction with its cost recovery. increasing client outreach and utilization of loans for on-lending as opposed to subsidies. This study therefore draws on the general experiences of the Credit management Services in order to draw lessons for the Zambian industry. The study will argue the case that though sustainability is difiicult to achieve, there arc positive indicators in the Zambian industry that this is possible and that CMS could be considered as an example. This claim is verified against the experi ence on the ground of Credit Management Services. The study concludes that building a sustainable microfinance industry anywhere is not the easiest task. Sustainabi lity is possible but requires a lot of investment in capacity bui lding and del iberate steps for cost effi ciency, appropriate pricing poli cies and an increased client outreach. The Zambian situation characterised by even a younger industry. will require not only a concerted effort in capacity building, but much more, the need to counter constra ints in the external environment of Mrls. Recommendations lo stake holders inc lude the need to utilise cheaper local human resources and invest in strengthening local institutions owned by local communities, to enhance the sustainability or micro finance initiatives.