Chap 9 - standards, protocols and certifications

Question 1

Modeled after the term “whitewashing,” this term describes the marketing practice of making unsubstantiated sustainability claims.

Answer 1

Greenwashing

Question 2

An international NGO that works with hundreds of national bodies to develop specifications for products, services, and systems. They have developed more than 21,000 international standards, including several that relate to sustainability

Answer 2

International
Organization for
Standards (ISO)

Question 3

A family of standards that provide guidance on developing environmental management system and greenhouse gas reporting

Answer 3

ISO 14000

Question 4

Provides guidance on internal and external auditing procedures for management systems.

Answer 4

IS 19011

Question 5

Provides guidance on the social responsibility of businesses and other organizations.

Answer 5

ISO 26000

Question 6

A tool to measure, assess and manage the performance of a product from raw materials through production, use, and end-of-life phases. The process entails compiling data on the inputs and outputs of a system, in order to evaluate the potential impacts that will result throughout its life cycle

Answer 6

Life cycle assessment (LCA)

Question 7

Based on the UNDHR, ILO, and international laws, this certification, developed by Social Accountability International (SAI), addresses workplace conditions across the industrial sector. The underlying standard applies a systems approach, setting forth structures and procedures that ensure continuous compliance.

Answer 7

Social Accountability Standards 8000 (SA 8000)

Question 8

Developed by World Resources Institute (WRI) and World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD), this protocol provides a global standard for measuring, managing, and reporting on greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to their Corporate Standard, they provide industry specific guidance on Scope 3, Supply Chain, Product Life Cycle, and reduction Project accounting.

Answer 8

Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol

Question 9

The total GHG emissions from fossil fuel use.

Answer 9

Carbon footprint

Question 10

When developing a GHG inventory, an organization performs an assessment of this to determine the method by which they will consolidate their emissions inventory—using either an equity or control approach.

Answer 10

Organizational boundary

Question 11

When developing a GHG inventory, an organization performs an assessment of this to determine which direct and indirect emissions are a consequence to operations and therefore must be reported upon

Answer 11

Operational boundary

Question 12

emissions that result from the activities of a reporting entity, but occur at sources owned or controlled by another entity. They are associated with the purchase of electricity.

Answer 12

indirect emissions

Question 13

This group of emissions encompasses direct emissions from sources within the reporting entity’s organizational boundaries. It includes such emissions as derived from burning natural gas onsite, refrigerant leakage, and company owned vehicle emissions.

Answer 13

scope 1

Question 14

This refers to the indirect emissions that result from the use of grid-supplied electricity.

Answer 14

scope 2

Question 15

These emissions are the result of activities that happen throughout the value chain, outside an entity’s direct control. Examples include employee commuting, freight, and supplier impacts.

Answer 15

scope 3

Question 16

In corporate GHG accounting, this is a specific year (or an average over multiple years) against which an organization’s impacts are tracked over time.

Answer 16

base year

Question 17

This term refers to emissions levels represented by the status-quo-ante in GHG Project Accounting. To evaluate project additionality (including GHG emissions reductions, removals, or storage), a project accountant develops various scenarios against this point in time.

Answer 17

baseline

Question 18

A fundamental principle of financial disclosure, this test (as defined by the US Supreme Court) determines whether there is “a substantial likelihood that the disclosure of the omitted fact would have been viewed by the reasonable investor as having significantly altered the ‘total mix’ of information made available”.

Answer 18

materiality

Question 19

Drives the disclosure of measurement information to improve the way companies manage their environmental risk over the long-term. They work with nearly 1,000 institutional investors to report Climate, Water, and Deforestation impacts, as well as, the performance of Supply Chains. In addition, their public sector program works with cities, states and regions to improve environmental performance.

Answer 19

Carbon Disclosure
Project (CDP)

Question 20

This global standard is used to develop credible voluntary carbon unit (VCU) credits.

Answer 20

Voluntary Carbon
Standard (VSC)

Question 21

Instruments used to trade carbon emissions among parties in either the voluntary or compliance markets

Answer 21

Carbon credits

Question 22

This is a standards body that puts forth criteria for sustainability reporting, in partnership with global organizations focused on quality, environment, and economics. Their sustainability reporting framework is used by a majority of the world’s largest corporations.

Answer 22

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)

Question 23

provides industry-specific standards for 77 industries, who use them to share financially material, industry-specific, decision-useful
sustainability modeled after the financial industry’s accounting principles.

Answer 23

Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB)

Question 24

global coalition of sustainability reporting stakeholders focused on developing comprehensive reporting standards to advance sustainability performance. they created <IR> Framework</IR>

Answer 24

International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC)

Question 25

Report on company’s potential to successfully manage changes in the physical and regulatory environments, technology, and customer and consumer behaviors. The recommendations outlined in 2017 represent four interconnected core elements: governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics and targets. For a company’s reporting to be aligned with the recommendations, they must disclose their scenario analysis and mitigation strategies for various climate-related outcomes.

Answer 25

Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)

Question 26

This document provides consumers with quantifiable LCA data on the environmental impact associated with a given product. Following the ISO 14025 product category rules (PCR), it is used to compare the relative impact of similar products.

Answer 26

Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)

Question 27

A certification scheme for a for-profit company whose mission aligns with creating a better society and has met the sustainability standards developed by B Lab. Their rigorous standards address social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Note that, some certified companies have legally organized themselves as “benefit corporations”.

Answer 27

B Corp Certification

Question 28

A business that meets this standard “is one that in no way undermines the possibility that humans and other life will flourish on Earth forever”. To organize around this goal, such businesses focus on developing practices required for tomorrow rather than meeting short-term goals or emulating the current best practices of peers. This standard defines 21 future-fit goals that address social and environmental challenges while improving business performance.

Answer 28

Future-Fit Business Benchmark

Question 29

This certification supports sustainable development among small producers and agricultural workers in the poorest countries. This type of mark is used throughout Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand

Answer 29

Fait trade certification

Question 30

This organization promotes environmentally sound, socially beneficial, and economically prosperous management of the world’s forests. Third-party verifiers assess forest management practices and chain of custody operations, tracing wood products through the supply chain from the live tree to end-use. This eco-label can be found on furniture, lumber and building products, pulp and paper products, along with non-wood products derived from forests, such as cork and bamboo.

Answer 30

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

Question 31

This international NGO focuses its work on biodiversity and the livelihoods of those who depend on it. They also certify products and services that are derived from sustainable farms and forests. The organization is a leader in helping to address the climate change issues associated with deforestation.

Answer 31

Rainforest Alliance Certified

Question 32

This Act of 1992, enacted by the US Congress, was aimed at reducing petroleum dependence and improving air quality. The legislation covers all aspects of energy supply and demand and boosted investment in alternative fuels vehicle technology, among other things.

Answer 32

Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPACT 1992)

Question 33

Established under the Clean Air Act in 1992, this program helps businesses and individuals become more energy efficient, protect the environment, and save money. The European version of this program is a related scheme that applies to office equipment.

Answer 33

ENERGY STAR

Question 34

The Kyoto Protocol created this commodity market for greenhouse gases. It allows countries to monetize any excess capacity by selling their “assigned amount units” (AAUs) to countries that have exceeded their targets. In addition, Annex B countries may trade RMUs, EURs, and CERs on this market.

Answer 34

International emissions trading

Question 35

greenhouse gas inventory sector that covers emissions and removals of greenhouse gases resulting from direct human-induced land use such as settlements and commercial uses, land-use change, and forestry activities. Despite the relatively short-term nature of such activities, they play a significant role in climate change mitigation. As a result, both the Kyoto Protocol and UNFCCC address issues related to these activities.

Answer 35

Land use, land-use
change and forestry
(LULUCF)

Question 36

Under the Joint Implementation (JI) mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol, these carbon credits may be transferred from the account of the host country (the place where the emissions reduction project is located) to that of the investor country. These compliance credits help Annex 1 countries meet their emissions reduction targets.

Answer 36

Emission Reduction
Unit (ERU)

Question 37

Qualified emissions reductions under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).

Answer 37

Certified Emission
Reduction (CER) unit

Question 38

A mechanism established by the Kyoto Protocol designed to encourage project-based emission reduction activities in developing countries. Purchasing the CERs produced by these projects allows Annex 1 countries to meet their reduction commitments.

Answer 38

Clean Development
Mechanism (CDM

Question 39

These are carbon credits available in the voluntary marketplace. Verifiable through numerous standards these credits are compatible with CDM and JI projects, although small project managers may elect not to register them due to the costs associated with compliance.

Answer 39

Verified Emissions
Reduction (VER)

Question 40

Sold in the voluntary emissions trading markets, this type of offset represents an amount of CO2e emissions saved by using renewable energy to produce electricity. Rather than having a face value of one tonne of CO2e emissions, they can be purchased in varying denominations.

Answer 40

Renewable energy certificate (REC)

Question 41

A mechanism employed by businesses to meet their carbon reduction goals. Purchasing carbon credits equivalent to emissions generated by operations allows businesses to offset their impacts and meet their reduction goals.

Answer 41

Carbon offsets

Question 42

A product certification that provides third-party assurance that a product has been designed and produced so its component parts may be used as inputs to new products.

Answer 42

Cradle to Cradle
Certified

Question 43

A US-based product rating system for energy efficient information technology (IT) with environ-mental criteria addressing the full product life cycle—design, production, usage, and recycling. The rating is more rigorous than the ENERGY STAR qualifying criteria.

Answer 43

Electronics Products Environmental Assessment Tool
(EPEAT)

Question 44

Developed using transparent science-based environmental protocols this ecolabel provides assurance that the rated product meets rigorous sustainability criteria. This certification has more than 55 standards across 12 product and service categories, such as: household products, construction materials & equipment, and paints & coatings.

Answer 44

Green seal

Question 45

This term refers to the environmental condition of spaces in and around buildings particularly as it relates to human health. Most countries regulate allowable levels of six criteria pollutants that may contaminate these spaces: Carbon monoxide, Nitrogen dioxide, Photochemical oxidants (as ozone), Sulfur dioxide, Lead, and Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10).

Answer 45

Indoor air quality (IAQ)

Question 46

This describes the practice of balancing production and consumption. Measured on an annual basis, buildings with an energy footprint described with this term use onsite renewable energy to generate all energy consumed. Those with this size carbon footprint produce no carbon emissions.

Answer 46

Net zero

Question 47

Run by the Green Building Council Australia, this is a green building assessment and product certification program. Projects can earn certification in any of four categories: Communities, Design & As Built, Interiors, and Performance.

Answer 47

Green Star (Australia)

Question 48

A TBL procurement, design, construction and operation assessment that evaluates a building construction project against performance benchmarks. Assessments are performed by independent auditors.

Answer 48

BREEAM

Question 49

Japanese rating system for evaluating the environmental performance of the built environment. The program provides tools for assessing the environmental performance of housing, commercial buildings, neighborhood, and cities

Answer 49

Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency (CASBEE)

Question 50

This is a building standard developed by the World Bank’s International Financial Corporation (IFC). Using the accompanying free software, developers in emerging markets can determine the most cost-effective options for building resource-efficient structures. Those buildings that demonstrate 20% efficiency improvements can become certified.

Answer 50

Excellence in Design
for Greater Efficiencies
(EDGE)

Question 51

The energy consumed throughout a product’s life cycle—outside the usage phase—includingmaterials extraction, manufacturing, transportation, and end-of-life management.

Answer 51

embodied/embedded energy

Question 52

green building rating system developed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC).

Answer 52

Leadership in Energy
and Environmental
Design (LEED)

Question 53

this is the most rigorous performance standard for the built environment. It calls for building projects that operate as cleanly, beautifully, and efficiently as nature does. Rather than meeting standards at a single point in time, projects must demonstrate performance of a period of at least 12 months of occupancy.

Answer 53

Living Building Challenge

Question 54

Initially created 1999, the U.S.-based Dow Jones Stock Exchange partnered with RobecoSAM to produce the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) of public companies

Answer 54

S&P Global SAM Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA)