Research and Development Projects

Consultancy Projects

Implementation of the new ISO 26000 Social Responsibility Standard for Companies in Switzerland

Background

Companies are increasingly expected to assume responsibility for the social impact of their activities (corporate social responsibility, CSR). With the ISO 26000 Standard (published at the end of 2010), ISO has formulated requirements for the implementation of CSR that are valid and accepted worldwide and applicable to all types and sizes of organizations and all industries. This worldwide standardization system matches the definition of social responsibility and sustainability throughout and provides concrete guidance on organizational management, working conditions, environmental protection, and other core issues of corporate social responsibility. SMEs often adopt individual elements of CSR according to ISO 26000 (for example, work safety management or quality assurance processes). As a rule, however, there is a lack of an integrated overall view of all relevant societal issues as well as all affected parts of the company and value creation stages. SMEs therefore need target-group-specific tools and support processes for the application of ISO 26000 that can take into account the actual framework conditions of their organization.

Description and Objectives

The aim of the project is to enable users to implement the standard by providing support through tools, process support, and optimization options. The approach helps to reduce the complexity of the ISO 26000 Standard to an easy and manageable level, makes a significant contribution to strengthening the international competitiveness of Swiss SMEs with regard to CSR, and promotes the application of the standard in Switzerland.

Project Partners

• University of Lucerne HSLU (Project Management)
• ZHAW School of Management and Law
• Swiss Association for Standardization (SNV)
• Neosys AG
• Solidar Suisse
• Swiss-TS Technical Services AG
• Fortisa AG
• Knecht & Müller AG
• Kuhn Rikon AG
• Heineken Switzerland AG
• Raiffeisenbank Mischabel-Matterhorn

Results

With an Online Platform the ISO 26000 Standard is being translated into professional tools based on Excel tables. These can be used to answer the central questions of a company efficiently and purposefully:

• Individually aligned to the needs of your company
• Practically oriented and suitable for SMEs
• With detailed instructions
• With selectable level of detail
• With links to GRI, ISO 14001, and EFQM
• Developed and tested together with Swiss SMEs

Reputational Risks Related to CR Issues in the Supply Chain

Background

Internationally operating companies are constantly working to improve the risk management processes and measures of their supply chain. However, studies show that almost half of the companies lack the resources to carry out appropriate audits at the desired level. Even companies with well-developed vendor audit processes are struggling with the challenge of applying the right auditing process to the right supplier in an efficient manner. Monitoring compliance with sustainability challenges (ESG risks) requires better quantification and identification of what exposes the company to these risks. This can help to ensure that companies supply their resources where they are most needed along the supply chain.

Description and Objectives

Jointly with its partner RepRisk, ZHAW is investigating how publicly available information can be used to increase transparency within a supply chain. The research is based on a previous study by RepRisk that has shown that local stakeholders often identify risks in the supply chain much earlier than the companies themselves. The project aims to make these local signals usable, thereby improving the transparency in the supply chain for new relationships with suppliers, the monitoring of suppliers, and compliance goals.

Project Partners

• ZHAW School of Engineering
• ZHAW School of Management and Law
• RepRisk AG
• BASF SE
• Pirelli & C. S.p.A.
• Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies, Zug

Results

Web-based database application based on the evaluation of media events that allows companies to review their supply chains for reputation risks related to environmental, social, and governance issues; accessible via www.reprisk.com.

Measuring the Effects of Business Activities in Developing Regions

Background

Companies are increasingly obliged to show clearly that their business activity in developing regions follows ethical and ecological minimum standards. However, these standards often do not measure the actual impact a company has on value creation and sustainability in the local environment. Conventional indicator sets on social responsibility or the sustainable development of companies (1) have been defined in a very abstract manner, (2) are focused on the minimization of negative effects, and (3) cover mainly internal principle and process indicators. The question of the actual effects on the local community of business activities is thus often left open.

Description and Objectives

The aim of the research project was the development and application of indicators that make it possible to assess, and thus make comparable, the sustainability topic of integration and community development for companies. In addition to process-oriented indicators (e.g., forms, purpose, and duration of cooperation with local actors and institutions, expenses of public-private partnerships, and local suppliers) mainly effectiveness-oriented indicators are to be defined (e.g., number of start-ups of local enterprises in the formal sector, quality of material and immaterial infrastructure, environmental and life quality, performance, and economic relevance of local universities).

Project Partners

• Center for Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CCRS) at the University of Zurich
• Chiquita Brands International
• Nestlé S.A.
• Syngenta International AG
• BHP - Brugger and Partners Ltd.
• Inrate AG
• öbu - Swiss Sustainable Business Network
• ZHAW School of Management and Law

Results

Indicator-based tool for assessing the positive impact of entrepreneurial activities in developing regions on local sustainability.

Stakeholder-Oriented Sustainability Reporting

Background

Many Swiss companies have realized that it is important to integrate aspects of sustainable development into entrepreneurial activity and to document related achievements. Companies of all sizes and industries publishing a sustainability report are currently faced with the following major challenges: increasing standardization through the further development of GRI, increasing importance of materiality and completeness as a result of GRI G4, tendency to integrate annual report and sustainability report, and unclear stakeholder or target group orientation.

Description and Objectives

In a case study approach, solutions were developed for the specific key challenges of Swiss companies in the area of sustainability reporting: stakeholder involvement, materiality, consideration of the value chain, and target group orientation.

Project Partners

• ZHAW School of Management and Law
• University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland FHNW
• Kuoni Travel Holding
• Basler Kantonalbank/Bank Cler AG
• BSD Consulting
• Center for Corporate Reporting (CCR)

Study on Online CSR Communication

Background

Sustainability reporting is becoming increasingly important for large companies. Studies on sustainability reporting show a trend towards more reports; this trend will intensify due to the EU Directive on Sustainability Reporting. At the same time, companies face the challenge of providing information so that it can be used and processed by stakeholders according to their needs. The Internet offers communicative advantages in this regard. At the Leuphana University of Lüneburg, the Center for Sustainability Management and the Institute of Environmental Communication have conducted three studies to analyze the way sustainability communication and reporting using the Internet have developed in the investigation period (Blanke et al. 2004 and 2007; Giese et al. 2012). Building on these existing studies, a fourth study is being carried out. 

Description and Objectives

The new study aims to provide external feedback on this form of sustainability communication to the companies under investigation as well as to provide stakeholders with qualified information on the communication performance on sustainability topics. Data collection took place in November and December 2015. Starting point for the analysis was the sustainability area of the corporate website. In the respective classes, further areas of sustainability communication, including the (interactive) sustainability report and social media, were taken into account. For the first time, a survey was carried out for the DACH region (DAX, ATX and SMI). The corresponding web pages were examined using 27 criteria in four classes: information provision, accessibility, clarity, and dialogue.

Project Partners

• ZHAW School of Management and Law
• Chair of Business Administration, especially Cultural and Communication Management, Leuphana University of Lüneburg
• Psychology School, Department of Business & Media, Fresenius University of Applied Sciences, Hamburg

Results

The comparison of the three countries Germany, Austria, and Switzerland shows that German companies are best at using the potential of the Internet for their CSR communication.

Sales-Targeted Arguments for Fairtrade Sugar

Background

Sugar is an ingredient in many foods and beverages. Many large food companies such as Nestlé, Unilever, and Mars have set goals for their procurement. In particular, they want to buy more sugar from sustainable sources. However, only a fraction of the global sugar is currently produced in sustainable ways. Sugar certified with the Fairtrade label is one way for large food companies to demonstrate that they are making progress with regard to their sustainable procurement targets.

Description and Objectives

In the study, arguments for the purchase of more Fairtrade sugar are being formulated, which are to be used for marketing activities at Fairtrade International. The arguments are aimed at buyers in large food companies. A comparison study was conducted with other large labels (e.g., Bonsucro) and conventionally produced sugar.

Project Partners

• ZHAW School of Management and Law
• EBP
• Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International, e. V.

Results

List of arguments for purchasing more Fairtrade sugar aimed at buyers in big food companies. The arguments are another resource for the marketing activities of Fairtrade International.

Environmental Targets of Companies in Switzerland

Background

Companies have a decisive role in implementing the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) established in 2015. They have the resources and influence to make a significant contribution to sustainable development. The extent to which companies are aware of their social (corporate) responsibility is evident in, among other things, whether or not they have recognized environmental issues as a strategic success factor and systematically consider them in their management activities. A clear indicator of this is the existence of specific objectives.

Description and Objectives

The aim of the study was to establish the environmental goals published by Swiss companies or or environmental action areas are addressed and how the objectives have been formulated. Obstacles as well as potentially beneficial factors were also to be identified. For this purpose, the research team targeted the 500 largest Swiss companies. Those who have a public report and publish at least one environmental goal were examined in detail. The basic sample consisted of 88 companies. In addition, a comparative sample of eight small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with reporting on sustainability targets and a reputation for being pioneers, as well as eight multinational companies (MNEs) regarded as “best practice” in terms of environmental impact, were analyzed. Since the analysis of reports is unable to provide information on the motivation or the background behind setting goals, individual and group interviews were conducted. Subjects included managers or CEOs as well as those in charge of sustainability or environmental responsibility in some selected companies.

Project Partners

• University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland FHNW
• ZHAW School of Management and Law
• Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN)

Results

Depending on the sector, there are very different types of companies with environmental goals: While the paper and cardboard industry, banks, and the cosmetics industry account for 50% or more, the share in the computer and information technology sector is just 5%. Most companies that have a set of goals currently focus on energy, emissions, waste water and other waste, as well as production materials. Topics such as biodiversity, products, transportation, and supplier certificates receive less attention. In addition, the majority of the goals are restricted to internal concerns – the preceding and subsequent stages of the value chain are rarely considered.

The Relevance and Significance of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises in Switzerland

Background

In order to fulfill their social responsibility and meet the expectations of stakeholders with regard to sustainable corporate governance, companies often refer to internationally accepted and legitimized standards. Among these standards, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises occupy a special position. By requiring signatory governments to set up a National Contact Point (NCP) and the respective complaints procedure, the Guidelines have a sovereign component that is unique.

Description and Objectives

The study is based on a representative survey on the OECD Guidelines and the NCP and their popularity among and relevance for Swiss companies, compared to other international CSR standards. At the same time, it contributes to raising awareness of the OECD Guidelines and provides information on demand and the possible forms of support for companies concerning the implementation of the OECD Guidelines. In a first step, the reporting of the 500 top-selling Swiss companies as well as often international SMEs was analyzed with regard to the application of international standards for responsible corporate governance, including the OECD Guidelines. This was followed by an online survey of multinational companies headquartered in Switzerland on the awareness and relevance of the OECD Guidelines compared to other standards for responsible corporate governance. The standards of comparison used were the UN Global Compact, the standards of the Global Reporting Initiative, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and the Sustainable Development Goals. In order to interpret the results correctly and link them to the personal experience of managers from different companies, a third part of the survey involved focus group interviews with representatives of selected companies.

Project Partners

• ZHAW School of Management and Law
• University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland FHNW
• öbu - Swiss Sustainable Business Network
• State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO)
• Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

Background

Materiality analysis is one of the most important strategic tools for companies wishing to develop a suitable focus for their sustainability management activities. Especially in view of the multitude of potentially relevant sustainability issues, considerations of materiality and the materiality matrices based on them are decisive in using limited resources sensibly and effectively and at the same time achieving a positive impact for society and the company. Materiality matrices are also important in sustainability reports based on current standards such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC).

Description and Objectives

The aim of this project was to update a Swiss bank’s materiality assessment focusing on sustainability issues along the entire value chain. The materiality analysis of the sustainability issues in question mainly consisted of three steps: (1) identifying potentially relevant issues; (2) prioritizing and thus identifying essential topics for the respective company, and (3) illustrating the relevant topics using a materiality matrix.

Project Partners

• ZHAW School of Management and Law
• Swiss Bank

Results

Provision of a list of potentially relevant sustainability topics, including their prioritization with the help of internal and external surveys as well as producing various materiality matrices taking into account common reporting standards and internal strategic considerations (e.g., controllability).

RRI-Leaders: Leveraging Leadership For Responsible Research and Innovation in Territories

Background

Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) is an approach that assesses potential implications and societal expectations with a view to research and innovation, with the goal to foster the design of inclusive and sustainable research and innovation. Since the launch of the Horizon 2020 programme, the concept of RRI has been gaining attention within research and policy circles in Europe. RRI-Leaders is part of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme “Science with and for Society” and responds to the Call Topic “SwafS-14-2018-2020: Supporting the development of territorial Responsible Research and Innovation”. It is being funded under the Grant Agreement No 101006439.

Description and Objectives

RRI-Leaders will explore the sustainability and application of the RRI concept within territorial innovation systems. A special focus is placed on instrumentalizing territorial leadership in the design of policies that are anticipatory, inclusive, reflexive and responsive. The project includes distinct territories from different parts of Europe, representing different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, different decision-making networks, etc. The project partners carry out a detailed assessment of the RRI relevance to the territorial governance, in order to enable the territorial partners involved to act as demonstrations of the potential of the RRI concept at the subnational level. The gathered knowledge will be used to provide a detailed assessment of the future potential of RRI as a guiding model in territorial governance. In addition, the project will provide an evolutionary perspective on RRI for the upcoming Horizon Europe programme.

Project Partners

• ZHAW School of Management and Law
• Applied Research and Communications Fund (ARC Fund), Bulgaria
• University of Western Macedonia, Greece
• Danish Board of Technology, Denmark
• Catalan Foundation for Research and Innovation, Spain
• Regional Association of Local Government of Western Macedonia, Greece
• Sofia Development Association, Bulgaria
• Municipality of Thalwil, Switzerland
• Economic Promotion Agency of Sabadell (SL-PES), Spain

Results

See https://www.rri-leaders.eu/publications/

Development of Content and a Communication Concept for “SMART” Guidelines on Environmental and Sustainability Goals

Background

The project builds on a 2016 study on environmental objectives of businesses in Switzerland commissioned by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN). This study demonstrated that although sustainability issues, including corporate environmental concerned, have gained a foothold in many Swiss companies, it is mainly the large and the listed companies that are proactive in addressing environmental issues. Generally, SMEs are prevented from doing this by their comparatively limited resources. Instead, they value best practice examples and low-threshold, practical instruments and guidelines to help them formulate environmental goals and develop a sustainability strategy.

Description and Objectives

The project intends to enable small and medium-sized companies (with up to 250 employees) from various sectors to formulate environmental goals in a useful way. Simple, practically oriented guidelines have been developed to help Swiss SMEs understand the importance of SMART environmental goals in terms of effective, transparent environmental management. They will be able to use these guidelines to formulate, implement, and review environmental goals or (ecological) sustainability goals. This will enable them to initiate reporting by means of appropriate key performance indicators (KPIs) – an important step towards integrated sustainability management.

Project Partners

• ZHAW School of Management and Law
• University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland FHNW
• öbu - Swiss Sustainable Business Network
• Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN)

Respect for Human Rights: A Snapshot of the Largest German Companies

Background

In 2016, the German Government set a target. By 2020 at least 50% of German companies with more than 500 employees should have policies and processes in place to identify and mitigate their human rights risks and impacts. The current coalition agreement states that if companies’ voluntary implementation proves to be insufficient, the Government will "introduce appropriate legislation at the national level and advocate [for] an EU‑wide regulation." The expectation is clear: German companies should meet basic requirements on corporate behaviour as set out in the UN Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights (UNGPs).

Description and Objectives

Based on a set of 12 UNGP core indicators developed by the Corporate Human Rights Benchmark (CHRB), the study examines how the 20 largest German companies by turnover report and communicate to the public regarding their human rights responsibilities. They cover three themes: (1) Governance and Policy Commitments, (2) Embedding Respect and Human Rights Due Diligence, and (3) Remedies and Grievance Mechanisms. The study assesses information publicly disclosed by the companies themselves: companies’ websites, their formal financial and non-financial reporting and other public documents referenced therein. For each of the twelve core indicators, the companies were rated with zero to two points. One point was awarded if the basic requirements were met, two points if they were exceeded.

Project Partners

• Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
• ZHAW School of Management and Law

Results

Every company scored zero on at least one of the core indicators, showing that none of Germany’s largest companies demonstrate that they fully meet the UNGPs’ range of basic expectations. Eight out of the largest 20 German companies achieved less than 40% of the maximum attainable 24 points. The highest scoring company was Siemens, scoring 14.5 out of 24 points (60%). Furthermore, 18 out of 20 (90%) companies failed to demonstrate how and whether they manage their human rights risks sufficiently (due diligence). Just two companies, Daimler and Siemens, received points on all four core indicators looking at human rights due diligence processes.

Updating the Materiality Analysis of a Swiss Bank

“Decent Work and Economic Growth”: Operationalization of SDG 8 for Companies

Background

Policy-makers as well as society are calling for companies to participate in solving societal challenges and thus to integrate themselves more strongly into the societal context. Increasingly, companies are aware of the importance of the legitimacy and social acceptance of their activities and are therefore investing willingly in social responsibility. In order to inform their stakeholders about their performance, their actions must be measured and documented. These social responsibility reports are predominantly produced by companies from an “inside-out” perspective. Since the publication of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a globally accepted framework for social goals, a change is becoming apparent here. Not only do the SDGs specifically name the social challenges that need to be addressed, the goals are quantifiable. The performance of individual players such as countries or companies can be related to the socially necessary extent of improvement and assessed from this perspective (“outside-in”).

Description and Objectives

The availability of work, equal opportunities on the labor market, and fair working conditions are important social needs. These needs are set out in the SDG 8 sustainability goal “Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.” By redesigning their processes and implementing innovative solutions, companies can significantly influence access to work for all social groups and the nature of their working conditions. The social impact of companies and the importance of work (and working conditions) for social participation are not limited to the location of a company’s headquarters. Corporate activities can also have an impact on the social systems of countries along the value chain. The aim of this project is to develop approaches in the area of “decent work and economic growth” (SDG 8) and to collect data that show what an appropriate contribution a (Swiss) company can make to achieving SDG 8.

Project Partners

• ZHAW School of Management and Law

Results

The project resulted in a conceptual approach that enables companies in the sugar cane industry to better operationalize the SDG 8 aspect “Child Labor”. The contribution is to be evaluated both methodologically and in terms of content, since it summarizes and enriches the current debate on methods and approaches of corporate responsibility in connection with the SDGs. The findings from the research project were presented at various specialist conferences and are used in teaching and further education programs.

Green Transformative Leadership

Description

Addressing environmental grand challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss requires businesses to take transformative action that goes beyond business-as-usual and have the requisite organizational leaders who can spearhead the transition towards a more environmentally sustainable world. However, businesses and their leaders cannot achieve the transition towards sustainability in isolation. For example, circular economy (“CE”) approaches necessitate that firms work closely with a wide range of external stakeholders such as suppliers, buyers, governments, cities, and even competitors. While technical solutions to CE have been widely discussed in academia and practice, the role of organizational leaders in engaging stakeholders to create joint value for stakeholders that include nature remains largely overlooked.

This project aims to improve our understanding of why, when, and how organizational leaders engage stakeholders to tackle environmental grand challenges in the context of CE. We focus on green transformational leaders (“GTLs”) and seek to understand how such GTLs motivate and enact change among networks of external stakeholders for environmental sustainability.

The project is built around three modules. We will start with a comprehensive literature review of the characteristics of GTLs. Building on these insights, we will test specific and relevant characteristics of GTLs and the mechanisms through which they engage stakeholders using quantitative, experimental designs. Finally, we will collect in-depth, qualitative data to develop an understanding of the processes that underly the relational dynamics between GTLs and stakeholders and lead to joint value creation for environmentally sustainable outcomes.

Our results will contribute to understanding and developing the necessary leadership capacity of businesses to drive the urgently needed sustainability transformation of business-as-usual toward a circular economy.

When the Dust Doesn't Settle: Scandal Re-activation and Re-framing

Description

Scandals are ubiquitous social phenomena that can have disastrous consequences for the actors involved, their associates, and society in general since they can undermine trust in the institutions that link society. Well-known scandals like Enron, Parmalat, FIFA, and the recent fall of Credit Suisse resulted in a loss of confidence in companies and institutions and brought about significant changes in the countries affected.

Most scandals suddenly hit the news and require a period of sensemaking until a prominent frame emerges. After that, they become “old news" and gradually disappear from media and public attention. However, some scandals are reactivated years later, and their original understanding is challenged; existing literature has not adequately explained how and why this can happen. This research project aims to answer this research question: How and why can scandals be reactivated and reframed over time? The research methodology would be to apply a mixed-methods approach that includes quantitative analysis of media articles and qualitative analysis of interviews.

Innovations in local crisis management (InnoLoK)

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic had profound impacts on societal, economic, and political life in many countries. The rapidly spreading viral disease prompted political decision-makers to take drastic measures in public life, whose quality and scope are unprecedented. For administration, crises are always both a challenge and an opportunity that can build or damage public trust in state institutions.

Description and Objectives

The InnoLoK project aims to conduct a scientific inventory of local administrative actions during the COVID-19 pandemic. It particularly examines the empirical variance in crisis management by public administration and analyzes its societal impact.

The following key insights will be developed within the project:

• Impact Study: The impact study highlights how specific population groups were affected by the Corona pandemic.
• Effect Study: The effect study investigates in which regions and for which population groups administrative actions exacerbated negative social effects and where innovative administrative actions were able to mitigate and alleviate these effects.
• Mapping Study: The mapping study includes an inventory of crisis management in all German counties and independent cities.
• In-Depth Studies: Detailed in-depth studies trace the innovation processes of selected municipalities.
• Transfer: The transfer project conveys the acquired knowledge. It supports administrative actors in promoting social resilience in the future and protecting social cohesion through good crisis management.

The InnoLoK project builds on the findings of the HybOrg project (2018-2021), which examined local crisis management during the so-called "refugee crisis." Like its predecessor, it is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). It is part of the funding line "Social Impacts of the Corona Pandemic – Research for Integration, Participation, and Renewal."

Project Partners

Zeppelin University in Friedrichshafen, Fraunhofer ISI in Karlsruhe, Hochschule Kehl.

Results

See InnoLoK project results

Corporate responsibility and sustainability management

Description

The Center for Corporate Responsibility (CCR) deals with issues relating to corporate responsibility and sustainability management. To this end, we develop practice-relevant approaches and tools, support companies in the conception and implementation process, and train specialists.

The objective is to create an inductive, research-based model focusing on the EON Italy’s approach to successfully create a green movement within EON Italy.

The outcome of this project will be an article to be submitted to a practitioner-oriented journal, such as Harvard Business Review, MIT Sloan Review or California Management Journal. The publication of the article will depend on the findings of the project and the interest of the journal. Depending on the findings, there would be also a possibility to write a second article to be submitted to an academic journal, although this is a secondary objective for this project.

Analysis of the status and further development of sustainability assessment in the municipality of Thalwil

Background

Municipalities play a central role in achieving a sustainable or at least more sustainable society, not least because, in Switzerland's decentralized system, many political decisions and frameworks are made at the local level. The municipality of Thalwil has been intensely engaging with various aspects of sustainability for some time. An important tool in this regard is the sustainability assessment, which helps estimate the potential impacts of initiatives and projects on people and nature.

Description and Objectives

Commissioned by the municipality of Thalwil, the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) conducted a study to examine the state of sustainability assessments in Thalwil. The aim of the analysis is, on one hand, to take stock of existing activities; on the other hand, to identify areas for action and solutions for further developing sustainability assessments in Thalwil.

The study is based on various primary and secondary data, including public and non-public documents, as well as several interviews with individuals who are or were responsible for sustainability assessments in Thalwil. Building on this, approaches and experiences from other parts of Switzerland were gathered, processed, and options for future action priorities were developed.

The study shows how the municipality of Thalwil has established itself as a pioneer in sustainability over more than 20 years. This was made possible mainly by the commitment of knowledgeable individuals, both in various roles within the municipal administration and from the citizenry, who volunteered for the cause. Several projects attempted to integrate sustainability assessments into the municipality's work at the level of individual initiatives. In the future, such assessments will have to meet increasingly demanding requirements. The report outlines seven current trends that will impact the practice of sustainability assessments in the medium to long term.

Building on these results, approaches for a forward-looking sustainability assessment are discussed. These include a revised strategic orientation, stronger networking within and beyond the administration, the establishment of a differentiated assessment process, and the development of comprehensive sustainability communication. This is intended to enable the municipality of Thalwil to build on and sustain its previous successes in sustainable development.

Project Partners

Municipality of Thalwil https://www.thalwil.ch/nachhaltigkeit/66301

Results

Not public