CoAction Solutions
The process of creating systems of prevention that minimise the impact of unexpected interruptions. It incorporates a disaster recovery plan that outlines how the business will respond to a range of threats or disruptions ranging from the natural disasters, cybersecurity threats and supply chain disruptions. Helping protect a business’s reputation and brand name.
The system of rules, practices and processes by which a company is directed and controlled. Coaction Solutions sees this is as governance covers how a business operates on a day-to-day basis to deliver its produces an services to its customers.
We use this terminology in the context of an integrated and holistic approach to managing different aspects of a business. From an ISO Standards perspective this might include Quality, Environmental, Heath & Safety, Business Continuity and Information Security management systems that together build organisational resilience. It should be noted that this approach is useful for all sizes and types of business as much is based on applicability to the business in question.
Usually stand for a certain amount of gaseous emissions that are relevant to climate change and associated with human production or consumption activities.
Over its life cycle, a product or process that does not add more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
A design protocol that advocates the elimination of waste by recycling a material or product into a new product at the end of its intended life, rather than disposing of it.
The action or process of work or acting together; co-operation. OR Any interaction among organisms within a community. (Ecosystem)
An assessment of a partial product life cycle from manufacture ('cradle') to the factory gate, i.e. before it is transported to the user or consumer. The use phase and disposal phase to the product are usually omitted. Cradle-to-gate assessments are sometimes the basis for environmental product declarations.
A manufacturing model, dating to the onset of the Industrial Revolution, which describes the process of disposing of a material or product via landfill, incineration etc., at the end of its presumed useful life.
Ecological Footprint (Source Du Pont) A measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems. The carbon footprint is an element of the ecological footprint.
EMS are sets of processes and practices that enable an organisation to measure and ultimately reduce its environmental impacts. The most used framework is the one developed by the International Organization for Standardisation (ISO) for the ISO 14001 standard.
ESG stands for Environmental, Social and Governance and is made up as a set of standards for a company’s operations that socially conscious investors use to screen potential investments. Environmental criteria consider how a company performs as a steward of nature. Social criteria examine how it manages relationships with employees, suppliers, customers and the communities where it operates. Governance deals with a company’s leadership, executive pay, audits, internal controls and shareholder rights
Business ethics is the study of appropriate business policies and practices regarding potentially controversial subjects including corporate governance, insider trading, bribery, discrimination, corporate social responsibility, and fiduciary responsibilities.
(Source Greenhouse Gas Protocol website)
GHG Protocol establishes comprehensive global standardized frameworks to measure and manage greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from private and public sector operations, value chains, and is split into scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions an explanation for each being: -
Scope 1 – All Direct Emissions are from the activities of an organisation or activities under their control. Including fuel combustion on site such as gas boilers, fleet vehicles and air-conditioning leaks.
Scope 2 – Indirect Emissions are from electricity purchased and used by the organisation.
Scope 3 – All Other Indirect Emissions are from activities of the organisation, occurring from sources that they do not own or control. It covers upstream and downstream activities within your supply chain.
Governance refers to the way in which companies are governed and to what purpose. This is usually done through a set of rules, guidelines, policies, and processes, used to direct and control an organisation behaviour and create a desired culture for the business in question.
The international standard outlining the requirements for Environmental Management Systems
The international standard outlining the requirements for Occupational Health & Safety Management Systems. Formally OHSAS 18001.
The international standard outlining the requirements for Quality Management Systems
Putting more back into the environment or society than you take out. It aims to restore or regenerate ecological systems, which is different from eco-efficiency, which simply slows down the decline in ecological capital, and closed-loop systems, which only prevent further ecological decline.
To compensate for the heavy carbon footprint caused by flying or other travel activities, companies and travellers can purchase carbon offsets equivalent to the amount of carbon dioxide they were responsible for. When you purchase carbon offsets, you’re contributing to carbon reduction projects that either capture and store existing CO2 from the atmosphere or prevent new emissions from happening. These could be projects such as establishing a wind farm that replaces energy produced from fossil fuel-fired power plants with clean, renewable energy or planting trees that will help to absorb and store carbon.
The ability of an organisation to anticipate, prepare for, respond, and adapt to incremental change and sudden disruptions in order to survive and prosper.
The Occupational Health and Safety Standard that has been superseded by ISO45001: 2015 for Occupational Health and Safety.
A purpose driven business stands for and takes action on something bigger that its products and services. Purpose can be organisational strategy and a road map to remain competitive in a fast changing economy. According to PWC, 79% of business leaders believe that purpose is central to success.
Often seen as a bigger business terminology yet nothing can be further from the truth. See ISO9001.
Highlights and amplifies positive information about a businesses brand often based on customer feedback but more and more includes responsible business practices and more of a purpose driven perspective that considers people, the planet in addition to profit. If done correctly it helps reinforce credibility and existing good reputation rather than repairing a damaged one.
Organizational Resilience is the ability of an organization to anticipate, prepare for, respond and adapt to incremental change and sudden disruptions in order to survive and prosper. In other words be able to carry on meeting customer needs and expectations when usual business conditions are interrupted.
There's no consensus for defining responsible business practices. The term, however, often refers to the practice of conducting business with consideration for ethical, environmental and community goals in addition to being a good employer and attempting to make a profit.
Any person, organisation, social group, or society at large that has an interest or stake in how a business operates, performs and its success. They can be internal or external to the business and should be assesses based on how they could affect the organisation’s purpose, and delivery of products and services.
A plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim.
The World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987 said sustainability means "Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". Many also accept that it has to balance People, Planet and Profit to allow this to happen.
The organizing principle for meeting human development goals while simultaneously sustaining the ability of natural systems to provide the natural resources and ecosystem services based upon which the economy and society depend.
In 2016, the Paris Agreement on climate change entered into force, addressing the need to limit the rise of global temperatures. The SDGs are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve each Goal and target by 2030.
A process whereby organisations meet their needs for goods, services, works and utilities in a way that achieves value for money on a whole life basis in terms of generating benefits not only to the organization, but also to society and the economy, whilst minimising damage to the environment.
A phrase first coined by John Elkington in 1994, it describes the separate financial, social and environmental ‘bottom lines’ of companies. In principle it is designed for companies to value their social and environmental profits and losses, as well as the financial ones.
A value chain refers to the full lifecycle of a product or process, including material sourcing, production, consumption and disposal/recycling processes.
ISO stands for the International Standards Organisation.
(NB: if anyone has any issues with the 'answers/descriptions', or suggestions of additional entries, please let us know, because our intention is that this should be useful for all.)
Wessex House, 66 High Street, Honiton, EX14 1PD
