Background: Disclosure of sustainability within companies is voluntary and previous research shows that there are differences in disclosure within CSR reports that can be affected by various factors. GRI is the most used framework in the preparation of CSR reports. Although some countries use the same GRI framework, previous studies have shown that different countries' enlightenment levels as well as enlightenment information differ in sustainability.  Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the information in sustainability reporting within the “Industrial Industry” in Sweden and the USA. Moreover, the purpose is to make a comparison of how companies choose to report information and based on which aspects. Furthermore, the study will examine and compare the difference between the companies after their sustainability reports were prepared according to the latest GRI framework in both countries for the years 2018 and 2020. Method: The study performs a quantitative content analysis with a deductive approach to compare disclosure of sustainability information from Sweden and the USA for the years 2018 and 2020. The study examines 6 companies from each country and this resulted in 24 observations. The study's conclusions and results are presented using a t-test as well as descriptive statistics. Conclusion: The study could not determine if there are significant differences in the disclosure of sustainability reporting between the United States and Sweden for the years 2018 and 2020. The reason for this may be due to contradictions between results obtained by the study based on t-tests and descriptive statistics.

Master of Science / Department of Communications and Agricultural Education / Jason D. Ellis / Agricultural sustainability is a growing concern for the general public because of agriculture’s considerable use of land, water, and other natural resources. In response to this growing concern, companies have started to publish sustainability reports to highlight sustainable practices. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of sustainability reporting from companies in the agri-food supply chain. The research objectives of this study were (1) determine the prevalence of sustainability reporting among food system companies, (2) identify, to what extent, the three components of the triple bottom line model are represented in sustainability reports, (3) determine if/how sustainability reporting differs among sectors of the agriculture supply chain, (4) assess how companies describe stakeholder engagement in sustainability reports, and (5) explore which aspects of reputation are included in sustainability reports. In total, 66 agribusinesses were included in this study of which 16 had published sustainability reports. Data for the quantitative content analysis were collected using a scorecard based on the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines. Results indicated that sustainability reporting is limited among companies involved in the agriculture and food supply chain. Though better than sectors studied in previous research, agribusinesses also struggle to explain stakeholder engagement and need to focus sustainability report content to align more closely with the three components of the triple bottom line model – environment, economic, and social.

Sustainable development is described by the World Commission on Environment and Development as ―development that meets the needs of present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs‖. Sustainability assessments are an integrative process and framework for effective integration of social, economic and ecological considerations in significant decision-making processes. Sustainability is incorporated into South African legislation such as the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (1996), the National Environmental Management Act (Act 107 of 1998), as well as Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations. Despite the existence of such legislation, the challenge lies in the effective implementation of the EIA process, which has been identified as a useful tool in striving towards achieving sustainable development. This research uses Gibson‘s eight sustainability principles and Gaudreau and Gibson‘s sub-criteria to develop a case specific set of sustainability criteria for coal fired power stations in South Africa. The energy generation sector is a major source of social and environmental impacts. Coal power stations contribute to environmental degradation such as reduced air, water and land quality. This industrial process impacts on the environment and therefore needs to strive towards sustainable development by considering these criteria during the EIA process. The set of case specific sustainability criteria for power stations was then used to evaluate the EIA developed for Medupi Power Station in South Africa in order to assess, the extent to which sustainability was considered in the EIA process. The key finding is that sustainability is incorporated into South African legislation hence no change in legislation is required. Despite the existence of legislation, the challenge lies in the fact that is it not always effectively implemented. The EIA process is seen as a tool that can effectively deliver sustainability outcomes. However this process is not effectively utilised. In order for the EIA to consider sustainability the focus needs to be on the following criteria: Intragenerational Equity; Precaution and Adaptation for Resilience; as well as Immediate and Long term Integration, as these were recognised as weaknesses after the evaluation process. The recommendation is also to develop a set of case specific sustainability criteria for other large industries that have significant environmental impacts. / MSc (Environmental Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Sustainable development is described by the World Commission on Environment and Development as ―development that meets the needs of present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs‖. Sustainability assessments are an integrative process and framework for effective integration of social, economic and ecological considerations in significant decision-making processes. Sustainability is incorporated into South African legislation such as the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (1996), the National Environmental Management Act (Act 107 of 1998), as well as Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations. Despite the existence of such legislation, the challenge lies in the effective implementation of the EIA process, which has been identified as a useful tool in striving towards achieving sustainable development. This research uses Gibson‘s eight sustainability principles and Gaudreau and Gibson‘s sub-criteria to develop a case specific set of sustainability criteria for coal fired power stations in South Africa. The energy generation sector is a major source of social and environmental impacts. Coal power stations contribute to environmental degradation such as reduced air, water and land quality. This industrial process impacts on the environment and therefore needs to strive towards sustainable development by considering these criteria during the EIA process. The set of case specific sustainability criteria for power stations was then used to evaluate the EIA developed for Medupi Power Station in South Africa in order to assess, the extent to which sustainability was considered in the EIA process. The key finding is that sustainability is incorporated into South African legislation hence no change in legislation is required. Despite the existence of legislation, the challenge lies in the fact that is it not always effectively implemented. The EIA process is seen as a tool that can effectively deliver sustainability outcomes. However this process is not effectively utilised. In order for the EIA to consider sustainability the focus needs to be on the following criteria: Intragenerational Equity; Precaution and Adaptation for Resilience; as well as Immediate and Long term Integration, as these were recognised as weaknesses after the evaluation process. The recommendation is also to develop a set of case specific sustainability criteria for other large industries that have significant environmental impacts. / MSc (Environmental Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Sustainable development through sustainable engineering is a promising strategy for combating unsustainable patterns of population growth, resource consumption, and environmental degradation. For sustainable engineering to alleviate global problems, however, improvements in undergraduate education are required to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to engage in sustainable design. Consequently, the goal of this dissertation is to assess and improve sustainability education in civil and environmental engineering (CEE) at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). Three phases of inquiry were conducted to (1) examine the current status of CEE sustainability education, (2) use assessment results to develop a pedagogically-innovative sustainability module, and (3) investigate the impacts of implementing the module into select CEE courses on student learning. Several key findings resulted from this work. First, the Sustainability Tool for Assessing Universities’ Curricula Holistically (STAUNCH®) suggested that integration of sustainability into the curriculum was incomplete and favored environmental sustainability. Second, CEE seniors’ conceptual understanding of sustainability, based on concept map results, was found to be generally correct, although limited in comprehensiveness, connectedness, and balance. Third, examination of capstone project reports (2002 and 2011) using the novel Sustainable Design Rubric revealed little change in the students’ sustainable design abilities over the past decade, due potentially in part to students simply “meeting the expectations” of project sponsors. Based on these insights, a five-part, learning-cycle-based sustainability module was developed and implemented in CEE capstone and cornerstone design courses. Higher learning gains for cornerstone students, as compared to seniors, supports future integration of the module into cornerstone design courses. While project results are especially important for CEE at Georgia Tech, other programs and institutions may benefit from the development and improvement of sustainability knowledge assessment tools, as well as the empirically-informed and theoretically-grounded sustainability module.

Sustainability is increasing in importance nowadays and Sweden is one of the most sustainability- focused countries in the world. Environmental sustainability is considered to be a key factor for business growth and companies incorporate this aspect in their brand marketing strategies. The purpose of this study is to get a broader understanding of the field of environmental sustainability work in connection to brand equity in Sweden. The main contribution of this study derives from studying how companies work with environmental sustainability to improve brand equity from a company’s perspective in Sweden. A qualitative approach was chosen, which included semi- structured interviews with seven companies that operate in Sweden. This paper develops an analytical model in order to analyse the findings from the interviews. The findings suggest that companies can work with environmental sustainability to improve their brand equity in Sweden by using strategies and practices that fit the company. It is important to consider the local context of Sweden, the market demands and requirements of its stakeholders and adopt a holistic approach in order to improve brand equity. Companies can choose to incorporate environmental sustainability work as an add-on to their brand or base the core of the brand around their work.

A transgressão de determinados limites na apropriação da natureza pela sociedade vem explicitando o impasse na forma como se dá essa relação, levando pesquisadores de diversas áreas do conhecimento a centrar atenção sobre o problema. A diversidade de métodos, correntes ideológicas e pressupostos teóricos que definem tais pesquisas, levam a uma realidade em que, um dos raros pontos de consenso está na necessidade fundamental de uma abordagem interdisciplinar. Dentre todas as ciências, a Geografia, em função das características de seus objetos e métodos específicos, é aquela que reúne os melhores recursos teórico-metodológicos para abordar a questão de uma forma mais abrangente e integrada. Um dos conceitos fundamentais na análise das intervenções humanas, e das conseqüências destas sobre o ambiente é sustentabilidade. Diante da ampla gama e diversidade de abordagens sobre o tema, torna-se necessário definir critérios a partir dos quais seja possível mensurar a dimensão da relação custo/benefício das diferentes formas de intervenções humanas sobre o ambiente, sob as perspectivas sociais, econômicas e ambientais. Neste sentido, configura-se como fundamental a definição de indicadores de sustentabilidade e de métodos de avaliação desses indicadores, de forma a permitir estabelecer análises comparativas que possibilitem gerar subsídios para tomadas de decisões e, com isto, conduzir a uma relação mais equilibrada entre sociedade e natureza. O trabalho objetivou, através de uma abordagem sistêmica, verificar de que maneira a Geografia pode contribuir na busca de soluções para esses problemas. Buscou-se como objetivo principal, aplicar uma metodologia para a mensuração da sustentabilidade sócio-ambiental, dentro de uma perspectiva sistêmica, através de um modelo de avaliação e integração de indicadores de sustentabilidade. A premissa central em que se apoiou a pesquisa consistiu na concepção de que as análises sócio-ambientais e, portanto, as relações sociedade-natureza sejam elas sustentáveis ou não -, podem ter sua funcionalidade apreendida e até mensurada na perspectiva sistêmica. Procurou-se, como hipótese central, responder à questão: É possível mensurar a sustentabilidade sócio ambiental de uma comunidade tradicional, aplicando variáveis e parâmetros utilizados em metodologias de avaliação de sustentabilidade propostos internacionalmente, a serem aplicados no âmbito das nações? Na busca de respostas a essa questão, optou-se pela aplicação do modelo para a métrica de sustentabilidade denominado Painel da Sustentabilidade (Dashboard of Sustainability) na Comunidade Quilombola da Reserva Extrativista do Mandira, localizada no Baixo Vale do Ribeira do Iguape, com baixa densidade de ocupação e no entorno de diversas unidades de conservação. Tal opção deu-se pelas características peculiares da área, cuja comunidade, apresenta um histórico recente de organização e luta, que resultou, entre outras conquistas, na criação da Reserva Extrativista do Mandira, única Unidade de Conservação Federal com esse diploma legal no estado de São Paulo. O trabalho demonstrou diversas limitações do modelo utilizado quando aplicado à comunidades tradicionais, levando a indagações que resultaram na proposição, em caráter exploratório, de possíveis critérios para a métrica da sustentabilidade, sob a perspectiva geográfica. / The transgression of certain limits on the appropriation of nature by society is explaining the impasse in how this relationship occurs, leading researchers from different fields of knowledge to focus attention on the problem. The diversity of methods, theoretical and ideological currents that define such research lead to a situation where one of the rare points of consensus is the fundamental need for an interdisciplinary approach. Among all the sciences, geography, depending on the characteristics of their objects and methods, is the one that brings together the best theoretical and methodological resources to address in a more comprehensive and integrated way. One of the fundamental concepts in the analysis of human interventions, and its consequences on the environment is \"sustainability.\" Given the wide range and diversity of approaches to the topic, it is necessary to set criteria from which to measure the extent of cost-effectiveness of different forms of human interventions on the environment, under the social, economic and environmental perspectives. In this sense, appears as basic the definition of sustainability indicators and assessment methods of these indicators in order to allow comparative analysis to generate information to enable decision making and, thus, lead to a more balanced relationship between society and nature. The study aimed, through a systemic approach, at verifying how Geography can contribute to finding solutions to these problems. We sought the main objective, to apply a methodology for measuring social and environmental sustainability, within a systemic perspective, using a model of evaluation and integration of sustainability indicators. The central premise on which the research was supported was the conception that the socio-environmental analysis and therefore the relationship between society and nature - whether or not sustainable - may have withdrawn its functionality - and even measured - in the systemic perspective. It was, as central hypothesis, to answer the question: Is it possible to measure the environmental and social sustainability of a traditional community, using variables and parameters used in assessment of sustainability methodologies proposed internationally, to be applied within nations? In seeking answers to this question, we chose to apply the model to measure sustainability called \"Dashboard of Sustainability\" in the Quilombo Community in the Mandira Extractive Reserve, located in the Lower Valley of Ribeira do Iguape River, with low density of occupation and surroundings of various conservation units. This option was given by the peculiar characteristics of the area, whose community has a recent history of organization and struggle, which resulted, among other achievements, in creation of the Mandira Extractive Reserve, the only Federal Conservation Unit with this statute in the state of São Paulo. The study demonstrated several limitations in the model when applied to traditional communities, leading to questions that resulted in the proposition, in an exploratory, of possible criteria for the metric of sustainability, in the geographical perspective.

This research focuses on effective decision-making for sustainable manufacturing design and management. The research contributes to the decision-making tools that can enable sustainability analysts to capture the aspects of the economic, environmental and social dimensions into a common framework. The framework will enable the practitioners to conduct a sustainability impact analysis of a real or proposed manufacturing system and use the outcome to support sustainability decision. In the past, the industries had focused more on the economic aspects in gaining and sustaining their competitive positions; this has changed in the recent years following the Brundtland report which centred on incorporating the sustainability of the future generations into our decision for meeting today's needs (Brundtland, 1987). The government regulations and legislation, coupled with the changes in consumers' preference for ethical and environmentally friendly products are other factors that are challenging and changing the way companies, and organisations perceive and drive their competitive goals (Gu et al., 2015). Another challenge is the lack of adequate tools to address the dynamism of the manufacturing environment and the need to balance the business' competitive goal with sustainability requirements. The launch of the Life Cycle Sustainability Analysis (LCSA) framework further emphasised the needs for the integration and analysis of the interdependencies of the three dimensions for effective decision-making and the control of unintended consequences (UNEP, 2011). Various studies have also demonstrated the importance of interdependence impact analysis and integration of the three sustainability dimensions of the product, process and system levels of sustainability (Jayal et al., 2010; Valdivia et al., 2013; Eastwood and Haapala, 2015). Although there are tools capable of assessing the performance of either one or two of the three sustainability dimensions, the tools have not adequately integrated the three dimensions or address the holistic sustainability issues. Hence, this research proposes an approach to provide a solution for successful interdependence impact analysis and trade-off amongst the three sustainability dimensions and enable support for effective decision-making in a manufacturing environment. This novel approach explores and integrates the concepts and principles of the existing sustainability methodologies and frameworks and the simulation modelling construction process into a common descriptive framework for process level assessment. The thesis deploys Delphi study to verify and validate the descriptive framework and demonstrates its applicability in a case study of a real manufacturing system. The results of the research demonstrate the completeness, conciseness, correctness, clarity and applicability of the descriptive framework. Thus, the outcome of this research is a simulation-based impact analysis framework which provides a new way for sustainability practitioners to build an integrated and holistic computer simulation model of a real system, capable of assessing both production and sustainability performance of a dynamic manufacturing system.

In recent decades, many multinational corporations have used nature inspired innovation (NII) strategies as a mechanism of sustainability-oriented innovation (SOI). In this context, these activities are typically initiated by sustainability or innovation managers who are seeking to utilise novel tools and approaches but generally do not have specific innovation goals. For some, NII is viewed as a new product development tool and for others, it is a broad perspective that defines a larger sustainability narrative for the organisation. This analysis of six cases describes the diversity of innovation types of NII in multinational corporations aiming to apply these models to sustainability-oriented innovation at multiple levels. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews (n=45) with NII team members from both inside and outside of the organisation. Additional data included internal project documents and web-based content associated with the NII projects. Cases were then compared and contrasted to identify patterns and anomalies of factors that influence the adoption of NII. While perceptions of NII were relatively consistent across cases, several factors were identified related to sustainability perspectives, the role of management, organisational structures, and innovation culture that influenced adoption. This thesis makes an original contribution to knowledge within the NII, sustainability-oriented innovation, and innovation adoption literatures by differentiating NII as an approach to SOI in MNCs, establishing an innovation typology in this context, and identifying three SOI narratives that influence the adoption of NII. Specific factors related to sustainability narratives, innovation culture and infrastructure, and management styles that support and inhibit SOI and NII in MNCs are used to distinguish three unique SOI narratives – Ambiguous, Accountable, and Aspirational. Conclusions suggest a NII readiness assessment may facilitate the adoption of NII by identifying the most effective approaches depending on the narrative of SOI within the company.

O presente trabalho consistiu em realizar uma proposta metodológica de análise quantitativa da sustentabilidade de estabelecimentos agropecuários fluminenses através do emprego do marco metodológico proposto por Sauvenier et al. (2006) e van Cauwenbergh et al. (2007), denominado SAFE (Sustainability Assessment of Farming and the Environment Framework). Conforme a aplicação para sistemas agrários realizada por Sánchez-Fernández (2009) e por sua vez, incorporando a quarta dimensão da sustentabilidade (dimensão institucional), ademais das três dimensões clássicas neste tipo de análise (econômica, social e ambiental), seguindo a sugestão do IBGE (2010), com base nas recomendações do Livro Azul da ONU (1996). Esse procedimento contou com a colaboração e validação de um painel composto por 16 especialistas em agricultura fluminense o que permitiu selecionar 20 indicadores de sustentabilidade, derivados de 17 critérios, 8 princípios e 4 dimensões. Dos resultados alcançados e de seus possíveis desdobramentos, a proposta metodológica sugerida pode ser considerada uma ferramenta potencialmente útil para guiar as políticas públicas que incidem sobre o setor. / The aim of this study was to develop a practical methodology for evaluating the sustainability of farms by means of the methodological framework proposed by Sauvenier et al. (2006) and van Cauwenbergh et al. (2007), called SAFE (Sustainability Assessment of Farming and the Environment Framework), according to the application for agricultural systems performed by Sánchez-Fernández (2009) and incorporating the fourth dimension of sustainability (institutional dimension) besides the three classical dimensions adopted in this type of analysis (economic, social and environmental), following the suggestions of IBGE (2010), based on the recommendations of the UN Blue Book (1996). This procedure was validated by a panel of 16 experts in fluminense agriculture that supported the selection of 20 sustainability indicators, derived from 17 criteria, 8 principles and 4 dimensions. Through the results achieved and their possible outcomes, the proposed methodology for agricultural sustainability quantitative analysis could be considered as a potentially useful tool to improve current agricultural policies.