News & Views
Research Articles
5 References ANDERBERG, S.; B. BERGB~tCK; U. LOHM: Flow and distribution of chromium in the Swedish environment: A new approach to studying environmental pollution. Ambio 18 (1989) 2 1 6 - 220 AYRES, R. U.: Industrial Metabolism. In: AUSUBELand SLADOVICH (eds): Technology and Environment, National Academy Press, Washington DC (1989) 2 3 - 4 9 AYRES, R . U . ; V. NORBERG-BOHM; J. PRINCE; W. M. STlGLIAN1; J. YANOWITZ: Industrial Metabolism, the Environment, and Application of Materials-Balance Principles for Selected Chemicals. IIASA report RR-89-11, Laxenburg Austria (1989) vi + 118 BERGBACK,B.; S. ANDERBERG;U. LOHM: Lead Load: Historical Pattern of Lead Use in Sweden. Ambio 21 (1992) 1 5 9 - 165 BERNTS, H.; H. VAN ZEIJTS; F. STOUTHART:Vermindering mineralenoverschotten op landbouwbedrijven (Reduction of mineral surplus in agricultural practice). Centre for Agriculture and the Environment report Utrecht 123 (1993) ii + 60 BLAAUWENDRAAT,W.; J. VAN DALEN: Papier en papierprodukten in de Nederlandse economie, 1990 (Paper and paper products in the Dutch economy, 1990). Central Bureau of Statistics hr. 201 93-PS.ES/INT (1993) 12 BRUNNER,P. H.; P. BACCINI:Regional Materials Management and Environmental Protection. Waste Manag. Res. 10 (1992) 2 0 3 - 212 DUCHrN F.; G. M. LANGE;K. THONSTAD;A. M. IDENBURG:Ecological Economics, Technological Change, and the Future of the Environment. Oxford University Press, New York (1994) GILBERT, A. J.; J. F. FEENSTRA:An indicator of Sustainable Development - Diffusion of Cadmium. Free University of Amsterdam, report R-92/06, vi + 66 (1992) GUINflE,J. B.; H. A. UDO DE HAES; G. HUPPES: Quantitative life cycle assessment of prducts. Cleaner Product. 1 (1993) 1 - 11 and 2 (1993) 8 1 - 9 1 HUELE, R.; R. KLEIJN; E. VAN DER VOET: Natural Resource Accounting, the search for a method. Ministry of Environment Series Environmental Strategy 1 9 9 3 / 3 , The Hague (1993) 74 HUPPES, G.; E. VAN DER VOET; W. G. H. VAN DER NAALD; G. H. VONKEMAN;P. MAXSON:New Market-Oriented Instruments for Environmental Policies. GRAHAM and TROTMAN European Communities Environmental Policy Series (1992) xxvii + 200 HUSAR, R. B.: Ecosystem and the biosphere: Metaphors for humaninduced material flows. In: R. U. AYRES;U. E. StMONlS:Industrial Metabolism, Restructuring for Sustainable Development. United Nations University Press, Tokyo/New York, Paris (1992) 2 1 - 30 IDENBURG,A. M.: Gearing production models to ecological economic analysis. PhD thesis Twente University, Faculty Bestuurskunde, Enschede, The Netherlands (1993) iv + 226 KLEIJN, R.; E. VAN DER XvrOET; H. A. U. DE HAES: Controlling substance flows: the case of chlorine. Environ. Manag. 18 (1993) 523 - 542
KNEESE, A. V.; R. U. AYRES; R. C. D'ARGE: Economics and the environment. A Materials Balance Approach. John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Md/USA (1972) x + 120 KUIK, O.; H. VERBRUGGEN(Editors): In Search of Indicators of Sustainable Development. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Environment und Management Series no. 1, Dordrecht/Boston/London (1991) vii + 126 LEONT1EF,W.: Input-Output Economics. Oxford University Press, New York/Oxford (1966) MACKAY, D.; K. E. CLARK:Predicting the Environmental Partitioning of Organic Contaminants and their Transfer to Biota. In: K. C. JONES (Editor) Organic contaminants in the Environment. Elsevier Applied Science series, London/New York (1991) 159 - 188 ODUM, H. T.: The energy of Natural Capital. Paper for the 2nd ISEE congress, Stockholm, August 3 - 6 (1992) SCHLESINGER,W. H.: Biogeochemistry, an analysis of global change. Academic Press, Inc., Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers, San Diego, New York, Boston, London, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto (1991) xi + 443 SCHMIDT-BLEEK, F.: MIPS - A Universal Ecological Measure? Fresenius Environ. Bull 2 (1993) 3 0 6 - 311 SIMONIS, U. E.: Industrial restructuring in industrial countries. In: R. U. AYRESund U. E. SIMONIS:Industrial Metabolism, Restructuring for Sustainable Development. United Nations University Press, Tokyo/New York, Paris (1992) 3 1 - 54 STIGLIAN1, W . M . ; S. ANDERBERG: Industrial Metabolism at the Regional Level: the Rhine Basin. IIASA working paper WP-92-10, Laxenburg, Austria 40 (1992) VICTOR, P. A.: Pollution - Economy and Environment. George Mien und Unwin Ltd, London 247 (1972) VAN DER VOET, E.: PhD thesis, in preparation, Centre of Environmental Science Leiden University VAN DER VOET, E.; R. HEIJUNGS:Life-Cycle Assessment and Materials Balances - Different Approaches? SETAC-Europe LCA News 4, (1994) 3 - 4 VAN DER VOET, E.; R. HEIJUNGS;P. MULDER; R. HUELE; R. KLEIJN; L. VAN OERS: Substance flows through the economy and environment of a region - Part II: Modelling. Environ. Scie. & Pollut Res. 2/3 (1995) W,~a~KER,J. C. G.: Numerical adventures with geochemical cycles. Oxford University Press, New York/Oxford (1991) ix + 192 WETERINGS, R. A. P. M.; J. B. OPSCHOOR: Duurzaam gebruik van voorraden: op zoek naar normstelling (Sustainable resource use: in search of limits). Ministry of the Environment Publication Series "Milieustrategie", nr. 1992/17, The Hague (1992)
Received: February 24, 1995 Accepted: April 25, 1995
News & Views Index to Measure Environmental Performance The consulting and research firm of Arthur D. LITTLE Inc. (ADL) has developed an "environmental performance index" (EPt) that reduces performance to a single numerical measure. The Cambridge, Mass.-based company believes its EPI will make it easier for companies to understand and communicate their environmental performance. A company can use EPI to measure its own performance relative to a chosen benchmark year and from year to year. Because it is linked to specific company performance objec-
96
tives, the index is not intended to be used by companies to compare themselves with each other. Environmental impact and progress toward internal goals are evaluated by collecting a total of 35 to 40 data points. In producing the final score, the data are weighted differently - the relative importance depends on which of four areas the data fall in: environmental releases are weighted by 50 %; regulatory compliance, by 25 %; and resource consumption and remediation efforts, by 12.5 % each.
resources, and serve as a stepping-off point for action within a company. By distilling data into relatively few measures, the information may be more accessible to the nonspecialist both inside and outside the company. For example, executives can use EPI for external communication about environmental performance to stockholders and the public.
Releases to the environment are weighted most heavily.
The applicability and value of EPI is yet to be tested. Communications company Northern Telecom, the company for which ADL originally developed the index, is working on including an EPI discussion on the Internet at www.nt.com.
EPI is meant to be used as a reference point to chart progress, make decisions and allocate
Source: C&EN, July 3, p. 10, 1995
ESPR-Environ. Sci. & Pollut. Res. 2 (2) 1995
Research Articles
5 References ANDERBERG, S.; B. BERGB~tCK; U. LOHM: Flow and distribution of chromium in the Swedish environment: A new approach to studying environmental pollution. Ambio 18 (1989) 2 1 6 - 220 AYRES, R. U.: Industrial Metabolism. In: AUSUBELand SLADOVICH (eds): Technology and Environment, National Academy Press, Washington DC (1989) 2 3 - 4 9 AYRES, R . U . ; V. NORBERG-BOHM; J. PRINCE; W. M. STlGLIAN1; J. YANOWITZ: Industrial Metabolism, the Environment, and Application of Materials-Balance Principles for Selected Chemicals. IIASA report RR-89-11, Laxenburg Austria (1989) vi + 118 BERGBACK,B.; S. ANDERBERG;U. LOHM: Lead Load: Historical Pattern of Lead Use in Sweden. Ambio 21 (1992) 1 5 9 - 165 BERNTS, H.; H. VAN ZEIJTS; F. STOUTHART:Vermindering mineralenoverschotten op landbouwbedrijven (Reduction of mineral surplus in agricultural practice). Centre for Agriculture and the Environment report Utrecht 123 (1993) ii + 60 BLAAUWENDRAAT,W.; J. VAN DALEN: Papier en papierprodukten in de Nederlandse economie, 1990 (Paper and paper products in the Dutch economy, 1990). Central Bureau of Statistics hr. 201 93-PS.ES/INT (1993) 12 BRUNNER,P. H.; P. BACCINI:Regional Materials Management and Environmental Protection. Waste Manag. Res. 10 (1992) 2 0 3 - 212 DUCHrN F.; G. M. LANGE;K. THONSTAD;A. M. IDENBURG:Ecological Economics, Technological Change, and the Future of the Environment. Oxford University Press, New York (1994) GILBERT, A. J.; J. F. FEENSTRA:An indicator of Sustainable Development - Diffusion of Cadmium. Free University of Amsterdam, report R-92/06, vi + 66 (1992) GUINflE,J. B.; H. A. UDO DE HAES; G. HUPPES: Quantitative life cycle assessment of prducts. Cleaner Product. 1 (1993) 1 - 11 and 2 (1993) 8 1 - 9 1 HUELE, R.; R. KLEIJN; E. VAN DER VOET: Natural Resource Accounting, the search for a method. Ministry of Environment Series Environmental Strategy 1 9 9 3 / 3 , The Hague (1993) 74 HUPPES, G.; E. VAN DER VOET; W. G. H. VAN DER NAALD; G. H. VONKEMAN;P. MAXSON:New Market-Oriented Instruments for Environmental Policies. GRAHAM and TROTMAN European Communities Environmental Policy Series (1992) xxvii + 200 HUSAR, R. B.: Ecosystem and the biosphere: Metaphors for humaninduced material flows. In: R. U. AYRES;U. E. StMONlS:Industrial Metabolism, Restructuring for Sustainable Development. United Nations University Press, Tokyo/New York, Paris (1992) 2 1 - 30 IDENBURG,A. M.: Gearing production models to ecological economic analysis. PhD thesis Twente University, Faculty Bestuurskunde, Enschede, The Netherlands (1993) iv + 226 KLEIJN, R.; E. VAN DER XvrOET; H. A. U. DE HAES: Controlling substance flows: the case of chlorine. Environ. Manag. 18 (1993) 523 - 542
KNEESE, A. V.; R. U. AYRES; R. C. D'ARGE: Economics and the environment. A Materials Balance Approach. John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Md/USA (1972) x + 120 KUIK, O.; H. VERBRUGGEN(Editors): In Search of Indicators of Sustainable Development. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Environment und Management Series no. 1, Dordrecht/Boston/London (1991) vii + 126 LEONT1EF,W.: Input-Output Economics. Oxford University Press, New York/Oxford (1966) MACKAY, D.; K. E. CLARK:Predicting the Environmental Partitioning of Organic Contaminants and their Transfer to Biota. In: K. C. JONES (Editor) Organic contaminants in the Environment. Elsevier Applied Science series, London/New York (1991) 159 - 188 ODUM, H. T.: The energy of Natural Capital. Paper for the 2nd ISEE congress, Stockholm, August 3 - 6 (1992) SCHLESINGER,W. H.: Biogeochemistry, an analysis of global change. Academic Press, Inc., Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers, San Diego, New York, Boston, London, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto (1991) xi + 443 SCHMIDT-BLEEK, F.: MIPS - A Universal Ecological Measure? Fresenius Environ. Bull 2 (1993) 3 0 6 - 311 SIMONIS, U. E.: Industrial restructuring in industrial countries. In: R. U. AYRESund U. E. SIMONIS:Industrial Metabolism, Restructuring for Sustainable Development. United Nations University Press, Tokyo/New York, Paris (1992) 3 1 - 54 STIGLIAN1, W . M . ; S. ANDERBERG: Industrial Metabolism at the Regional Level: the Rhine Basin. IIASA working paper WP-92-10, Laxenburg, Austria 40 (1992) VICTOR, P. A.: Pollution - Economy and Environment. George Mien und Unwin Ltd, London 247 (1972) VAN DER VOET, E.: PhD thesis, in preparation, Centre of Environmental Science Leiden University VAN DER VOET, E.; R. HEIJUNGS:Life-Cycle Assessment and Materials Balances - Different Approaches? SETAC-Europe LCA News 4, (1994) 3 - 4 VAN DER VOET, E.; R. HEIJUNGS;P. MULDER; R. HUELE; R. KLEIJN; L. VAN OERS: Substance flows through the economy and environment of a region - Part II: Modelling. Environ. Scie. & Pollut Res. 2/3 (1995) W,~a~KER,J. C. G.: Numerical adventures with geochemical cycles. Oxford University Press, New York/Oxford (1991) ix + 192 WETERINGS, R. A. P. M.; J. B. OPSCHOOR: Duurzaam gebruik van voorraden: op zoek naar normstelling (Sustainable resource use: in search of limits). Ministry of the Environment Publication Series "Milieustrategie", nr. 1992/17, The Hague (1992)
Received: February 24, 1995 Accepted: April 25, 1995
News & Views Index to Measure Environmental Performance The consulting and research firm of Arthur D. LITTLE Inc. (ADL) has developed an "environmental performance index" (EPt) that reduces performance to a single numerical measure. The Cambridge, Mass.-based company believes its EPI will make it easier for companies to understand and communicate their environmental performance. A company can use EPI to measure its own performance relative to a chosen benchmark year and from year to year. Because it is linked to specific company performance objec-
96
tives, the index is not intended to be used by companies to compare themselves with each other. Environmental impact and progress toward internal goals are evaluated by collecting a total of 35 to 40 data points. In producing the final score, the data are weighted differently - the relative importance depends on which of four areas the data fall in: environmental releases are weighted by 50 %; regulatory compliance, by 25 %; and resource consumption and remediation efforts, by 12.5 % each.
resources, and serve as a stepping-off point for action within a company. By distilling data into relatively few measures, the information may be more accessible to the nonspecialist both inside and outside the company. For example, executives can use EPI for external communication about environmental performance to stockholders and the public.
Releases to the environment are weighted most heavily.
The applicability and value of EPI is yet to be tested. Communications company Northern Telecom, the company for which ADL originally developed the index, is working on including an EPI discussion on the Internet at www.nt.com.
EPI is meant to be used as a reference point to chart progress, make decisions and allocate
Source: C&EN, July 3, p. 10, 1995
ESPR-Environ. Sci. & Pollut. Res. 2 (2) 1995
