IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v9y2017i10p1909-d116035.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Systemic Tool and Process for Sustainability Assessment

Author

Listed:
  • Claude Villeneuve

    (Chaire en Éco-Conseil, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, QC G7H 2B1, Canada)

  • David Tremblay

    (Chaire en Éco-Conseil, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, QC G7H 2B1, Canada)

  • Olivier Riffon

    (Chaire en Éco-Conseil, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, QC G7H 2B1, Canada)

  • Georges Y. Lanmafankpotin

    (Chaire en Éco-Conseil, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, QC G7H 2B1, Canada)

  • Sylvie Bouchard

    (Chaire en Éco-Conseil, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, QC G7H 2B1, Canada)

Abstract

Sustainability assessment is a growing concern worldwide with United Nations’ Agenda 2030 being implemented. As sustainability refers to the consideration of environmental, social and economic issues in light of cultural, historic—retrospective and prospective—and institutional perspectives, appropriate tools are needed to ensure the complete coverage of these aspects and allow the participation of multiple stakeholders. This article presents a scientifically robust and flexible tool, developed over the last 25 years and tested in different cultural and development contexts to build a framework for sustainability assessment of policies, strategies, programs and projects in light of Agenda 2030. A selected case study conducted on a major mining project in Québec (Canada) illustrates the Sustainable Development Analytical Grid performance for sustainability assessment. This tool and process is part of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals Acceleration Toolkit; it is one of the most adaptable, addresses all 17 SDGs and is fully accessible for free. Other advantages and limitations of the tool and process are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Claude Villeneuve & David Tremblay & Olivier Riffon & Georges Y. Lanmafankpotin & Sylvie Bouchard, 2017. "A Systemic Tool and Process for Sustainability Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-29, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:10:p:1909-:d:116035
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/10/1909/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/10/1909/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Måns Nilsson & Paul Lucas & Tetsuro Yoshida, 2013. "Towards an Integrated Framework for SDGs: Ultimate and Enabling Goals for the Case of Energy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(10), pages 1-28, September.
    2. Sala, Serenella & Ciuffo, Biagio & Nijkamp, Peter, 2015. "A systemic framework for sustainability assessment," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 314-325.
    3. Thomas Wanner, 2015. "The New 'Passive Revolution' of the Green Economy and Growth Discourse: Maintaining the 'Sustainable Development' of Neoliberal Capitalism," New Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(1), pages 21-41, February.
    4. Olivia Bina, 2013. "The Green Economy and Sustainable Development: An Uneasy Balance?," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 31(6), pages 1023-1047, December.
    5. Adri Smaling, 1992. "Varieties of methodological intersubjectivity — the relations with qualitative and quantitative research, and with objectivity," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 26(2), pages 169-180, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Rasha Fady Ismail & Fadi Safieddine & Rawad Hammad & Mazhar Hallak Kantakji, 2022. "Towards Sustainable Production Processes Reengineering: Case Study at INCOM Egypt," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-25, May.
    2. Kluczek, Aldona, 2019. "An energy-led sustainability assessment of production systems – An approach for improving energy efficiency performance," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 216(C), pages 190-203.
    3. Edward Kassem & Oldrich Trenz, 2020. "Automated Sustainability Assessment System for Small and Medium Enterprises Reporting," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-23, July.
    4. Olimpia State & Daniel Bulin & Iulia Monica Oehler-Sincai & Adrian Lucian Kanovici & Maria Cristina Iorgulescu & Claudia Popescu & Delia Popescu, 2019. "Interpretation of Sustainable Development Using a Set of Macroeconomic and Social Indicators for a Group of Nine Emerging Economies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-23, May.
    5. Aarcha Zenya & Øystein Nystad, 2018. "Assessing Corporate Sustainability with the Enterprise Sustainability Evaluation Tool (E-SET)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-12, December.
    6. Tahmineh Akbarinejad & Alenka Temeljotov Salaj & Agnar Johansen, 2023. "Implementing the Integrated Social Sustainability Assessment to Norway: A Citizen-Centric and Expert-Weighted Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-24, August.
    7. Juliana Segura-Salazar & Luís Marcelo Tavares, 2018. "Sustainability in the Minerals Industry: Seeking a Consensus on Its Meaning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-38, May.
    8. Zdenka Gyurák Babeľová & Augustín Stareček & Dagmar Cagáňová & Martin Fero & Miloš Čambál, 2019. "Perceived Serviceability of Outplacement Programs as a Part of Sustainable Human Resource Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-21, August.
    9. Rosemary Horry & Colin A. Booth & Abdul–Majeed Mahamadu & Patrick Manu & Panos Georgakis, 2022. "Environmental management systems in the architectural, engineering and construction sectors: a roadmap to aid the delivery of the sustainable development goals," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(9), pages 10585-10615, September.
    10. Houda Taoudi Benchekroun & Zoubida Benmamoun & Hanaa Hachimi, 2022. "Implementation and Sustainability Assessment of a Public Procurement Strategy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-22, November.
    11. Derek Van Rheenen & Ricardo Melo, 2021. "Nature Sports: Prospects for Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-14, August.
    12. Sarva Mangala Praveena & Sri Themudu, 2022. "Water Conservation Initiative In A Public School From Tropical Country: Performance And Sustainability Assessments," Water Conservation & Management (WCM), Zibeline International Publishing, vol. 6(1), pages 55-60, February.
    13. Zinette Bergman & Manfred Max Bergman, 2022. "Toward Sustainable Communities: A Case Study of the Eastern Market in Detroit," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-14, April.
    14. Anastasiia Moldavska & Torgeir Welo, 2018. "Testing and Verification of a New Corporate Sustainability Assessment Method for Manufacturing: A Multiple Case Research Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-40, November.
    15. David Tremblay & François Fortier & Jean‐François Boucher & Olivier Riffon & Claude Villeneuve, 2020. "Sustainable development goal interactions: An analysis based on the five pillars of the 2030 agenda," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(6), pages 1584-1596, November.
    16. Komninos Angelakoglou & Georgios Gaidajis, 2020. "A Conceptual Framework to Evaluate the Environmental Sustainability Performance of Mining Industrial Facilities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-20, March.
    17. David Tremblay & Sabine Gowsy & Olivier Riffon & Jean-François Boucher & Samuel Dubé & Claude Villeneuve, 2021. "A Systemic Approach for Sustainability Implementation Planning at the Local Level by SDG Target Prioritization: The Case of Quebec City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-20, February.
    18. Camelia Catalina Mihalciuc & Maria Grosu & Anisoara Niculina Apetri, 2020. "Supporting the Sustainable Development of Companies Through the Use of Social Responsibility Practices In International Affairs," Book chapters-LUMEN Proceedings, in: Carmen NÄ‚STASE (ed.), 16th Economic International Conference NCOE 4.0 2020, edition 1, volume 13, chapter 19, pages 206-225, Editura Lumen.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ferreira, Ana & Pinheiro, Manuel Duarte & de Brito, Jorge & Mateus, Ricardo, 2018. "Combined carbon and energy intensity benchmarks for sustainable retail stores," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(PB), pages 877-889.
    2. Zdenka Gyurák Babeľová & Augustín Stareček & Dagmar Cagáňová & Martin Fero & Miloš Čambál, 2019. "Perceived Serviceability of Outplacement Programs as a Part of Sustainable Human Resource Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-21, August.
    3. Muhammad Riaz & Wojciech Sałabun & Hafiz Muhammad Athar Farid & Nawazish Ali & Jarosław Wątróbski, 2020. "A Robust q-Rung Orthopair Fuzzy Information Aggregation Using Einstein Operations with Application to Sustainable Energy Planning Decision Management," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-39, May.
    4. Abdallah Alaoui & Moritz Hallama & Roger Bär & Ioanna Panagea & Felicitas Bachmann & Carola Pekrun & Luuk Fleskens & Ellen Kandeler & Rudi Hessel, 2022. "A New Framework to Assess Sustainability of Soil Improving Cropping Systems in Europe," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-15, May.
    5. Oriana Gava & Fabio Bartolini & Francesca Venturi & Gianluca Brunori & Angela Zinnai & Alberto Pardossi, 2018. "A Reflection of the Use of the Life Cycle Assessment Tool for Agri-Food Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-16, December.
    6. David Tremblay & François Fortier & Jean‐François Boucher & Olivier Riffon & Claude Villeneuve, 2020. "Sustainable development goal interactions: An analysis based on the five pillars of the 2030 agenda," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(6), pages 1584-1596, November.
    7. René Bohnsack & Francesca Ciulli & Ans Kolk, 2021. "The role of business models in firm internationalization: An exploration of European electricity firms in the context of the energy transition," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(5), pages 824-852, July.
    8. Joan Hereu-Morales & César Valderrama, 2022. "Towards a Sustainability-Based Society: An Analysis of Fundamental Values from the Perspective of Economics and Philosophy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-14, July.
    9. Stephen C. L. Watson & Adrian C. Newton, 2018. "Dependency of Businesses on Flows of Ecosystem Services: A Case Study from the County of Dorset, UK," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-14, April.
    10. Victoria Vicario-Modroño & Rosa Gallardo-Cobos & Pedro Sánchez-Zamora, 2023. "Sustainability evaluation of olive oil mills in Andalusia (Spain): a study based on composite indicators," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(7), pages 6363-6392, July.
    11. Rui Meng & Lirong Zhang & Hongkuan Zang & Shichao Jin, 2021. "Evaluation of Environmental and Economic Integrated Benefits of Photovoltaic Poverty Alleviation Technology in the Sanjiangyuan Region of Qinghai Province," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-19, November.
    12. Marianne Döös & Lena Wilhelmson, 2014. "Proximity and distance: phases of intersubjective qualitative data analysis in a research team," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 48(2), pages 1089-1106, March.
    13. Ileana Iocola & Frederique Angevin & Christian Bockstaller & Rui Catarino & Michael Curran & Antoine Messéan & Christian Schader & Didier Stilmant & Florence Van Stappen & Paul Vanhove & Hauke Ahneman, 2020. "An Actor-Oriented Multi-Criteria Assessment Framework to Support a Transition towards Sustainable Agricultural Systems Based on Crop Diversification," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-29, July.
    14. Hamed Gholami & Muhamad Zameri Mat Saman & Safian Sharif & Jauharah Md Khudzari & Norhayati Zakuan & Dalia Streimikiene & Justas Streimikis, 2020. "A General Framework for Sustainability Assessment of Sheet Metalworking Processes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-18, June.
    15. Maria Federica Cordova & Andrea Celone, 2019. "SDGs and Innovation in the Business Context Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-14, December.
    16. Sneha Kaira & Oz Sahin & Anisur Rahman & Sherif Mohamed, 2022. "An Integrated DPSIR-SD Framework for Sustainability Assessment of Roads in Australia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-31, June.
    17. Ferretti, Paola & Zolin, Maria Bruna & Ferraro, Giacomo, 2020. "Relationships among sustainability dimensions: evidence from an Alpine area case study using Dominance-based Rough Set Approach," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    18. Firas M. Sharaf, 2023. "Assessment of Urban Sustainability—The Case of Amman City in Jordan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-16, March.
    19. Eleni Iacovidou & Jonathan Busch & John N. Hahladakis & Helen Baxter & Kok Siew Ng & Ben M. J. Herbert, 2017. "A Parameter Selection Framework for Sustainability Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-18, August.
    20. M. Isabel Sánchez-Hernández & Juan José Maldonado-Briegas, 2019. "Sustainable Entrepreneurial Culture Programs Promoting Social Responsibility: A European Regional Experience," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-19, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:10:p:1909-:d:116035. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.