 |
|
Corporate Environmental and Sustainability Reports |
925 N. Mills Avenue, Claremont, CA 91711-5916 (909) 621-8190, (909) 621-8298, FAX (909) 621-8588 J. Emil Morhardt, Ph. D., Director (emorhardt@claremontmckenna.edu) |
|
|
|
Pacific Sustainability Index (PSI) |
|
The Pacific Sustainability Index (PSI) scores companies on environmental and socioeconomic
comprehensiveness (transparency) and performance as expressed in their voluntary environmental
or sustainability reports. Sustainability reporting implies inclusion of socioeconomic topics.
Environmental and socioeconomic topics are analyzed and scored separately. Additionally,
scoring of report comprehensiveness is separated from scoring of performance. Companies are not
scored in areas that are irrelevant to their practices. Summary scores below are reported as a
percentage of maximum possible score. Topics that are deemed irrelevant to a company do not affect
the percentage scores. To learn more about how we come up with
these scores, click
here. |
| Category | Percent Coverage | Grade | |||||||||||||||
|
|
| |||||||||||||||
|
|
| |||||||||||||||
| Overall PSI Score | 16.88% | C |
|
What do the scores mean? The above scores are based on all relevent material found on the company's website at the date of the report. The scores are percentages of the total points possible in the Pacific Sustainability Index, described further at the end of this document. The grades given are relative to the highest score in the company's sector. To put the scores of this report into perspective with reports of other companies, visit the Roberts Environmental Center Website (http://www.roberts.cmc.edu/), where all scores we have produced are available. Because the Roberts Center staff scores new reports regularly and posts the results to the website, the average scores are continually changing. Please note that reports analyzed prior to August 2005 used a different scoring system. These reports have been converted into the new scoring system, but the conversion is imperfect and question weights do not translate exactly. |
|
What is the utility of this analysis? This analysis can be used by companies to benchmark their own reports and performance against companies within and across industries. It can also be used by special interest groups, financial analysts, and the general public to evaluate the quality of environmental and sustainability reporting. Because of the complicated nature of environmental and sustainability reporting, we make available the full analysis as well as summary scores. Our hope is to encourage transparency and numerical comparison with corporate peers. |
|
Accountability | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Question Number | Score | Topic | Description |
| 4 | 0 | Report contact person | -Discussion: identifies the person specifically designated to answer questions about the report or sustainability issues. Investor relations or public relations contact representatives are not valid contacts for this question. -Initiatives/actions: to facilitate such contact, i.e. providing email address, phone number, or a link for feedback and questions. |
| 19 | 0 | Environmental management structure | -Discussion: of the organization's environmental management structure or staffing. -Initiatives/actions: include identification of individuals currently holding the staff positions |
College Sector Specific Indicator | |||
| Question Number | Score | Topic | Description |
| 297 | 0 | Dormitory/Classroom Waste Recycling | -Discussion: of recyling of paper, cardboard, glass, or plastic in the dormitories or classrooms. -Initiatives/Actions: taken to implement such recycling. |
Management | |||
| Question Number | Score | Topic | Description |
| 16 | 2 | Environmental education | -Discussion: of efforts to promote environmental education and awareness of employees, the general public, or children. -Initiatives/actions: taken to provide such education. |
| 20 | 0 | Environmental management system | -Discussion: includes a statement of adoption of ISO 14001 or other formal environmental management system. -Initiatives/actions: include information on the extent to which the system has been implemented. |
| 21 | 1 | Environmental accounting | -Discussion: of environmental expenditures -Initiatives/actions: include detailed accounting of such expenditures. |
| 23 | 1 | Stakeholder consultation | -Discussion: of consultation and dialogue with stakeholders about the organization's environmental aspects or impacts. -Initiatives/actions: include identification of specific consultation activities. |
Policy | |||
| Question Number | Score | Topic | Description |
| 9 | 2 | Environmental policy statement | -Discussion: includes a formal statement of the organization's environmental policy or plan. -Initiatives/actions: include a description of how the policy is being implemented. |
| 10 | 2 | Climate change/global warming | -Discussion: of the organization's position on climate change and/or global warming. -Initiatives/actions: include measures taken by the organization to decrease its contribution to climate change. |
| 11 | 2 | Habitat/ecosystem conservation | -Discussion: of the organization's position on conserving natural ecosystems and habitat. -Initiatives/actions: taken to increase conservation of natural ecosystems either associated with or separate from the organization's business activities. |
| 12 | 0 | Biodiversity | -Discussion: of the organization's position on biodiversity. -Initiatives/actions: taken by to the organization to foster biodiversity. |
| 13 | 1 | Green purchasing | -Discussion: about preferential purchasing of eco-friendly (non-polluting, recycled, recyclable, etc.) products. -Initiatives/actions: taken to implement such purchasing. |
The College Sustainability Report Card Criteria | |||
| Question Number | Score | Topic | Description |
| 289 | 1 | Climate Change & Energy. | Discussion: of energy efficiency, conservation, commitment to emissions reductions, and use of renewable energy on campus. Initiatives/Actions: to reduce energy consumption and energy-related emissions. |
| 290 | 2 | Food & Recycling. | -Discussion: of dining services policies about any aspect of recycling paper and utensils, redistributing excess food, or composting waste food. -Initiatives/Actions: taken to implement these policies. |
| 291 | 2 | Green Building | -Discussion: of campus-wide green building guidelines and green building design for new and existing buildings. -Initiatives/Actions: taken to implement such design principles, such as adopting LEED standards. |
Vision | |||
| Question Number | Score | Topic | Description |
| 5 | 2 | Environmental visionary statement | -Discussion: includes a clear visionary statement expressing an organizational commitment to good environmental performance. -Initiatives/actions: include measures to fulfill that commitment. |
| 6 | 2 | Environmental impediments and challenges | -Discussion: of impediments and challenges faced by the organization in attempting to realize its environmental vision and commitments. -Initiatives/actions: include measures to overcome them. |
|
Emissions to air | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Question Number | Score | Topic | Description |
| 112 | 0 | Carbon dioxide (CO2) or equivalents (i.e. GHG) | CO2 emissions (or CO2 equivalents from CO2 + other greenhouse gases) resulting from all company operations including generating electricity. |
Energy | |||
| Question Number | Score | Topic | Description |
| 26 | 4 | Energy used (total) | Sum of the energy used by the organization in all different forms, including electricity, fuel, natural gas and others. |
| 27 | 4 | Energy used (renewable) | Energy used from renewable sources such as wind, solar, hydroelectric, or other renewable sources. |
Management | |||
| Question Number | Score | Topic | Description |
| 38 | 0 | Notices of violation (environmental) | Notices of violation (NOVs) for environmental infractions. |
| 39 | 0 | Environmental expenses and investments | An accounting of money spent or invested specifically to decrease environmental damage or to benefit the environment |
| 40 | 0 | Fines (environmental) | Government imposed fines for environmental infractions. |
| 163 | 2 | Green transportation initiatives | Programs to encourage carpooling, mass transit or other reductions in total commuting. |
| 164 | 0 | Emulating best practices | Organization looks for industry "best practices" or performance of peer organizations as a guide to its reporting |
| 165 | 0 | Green space | Amount of land that is kept as "green space" in contrast to paved or developed areas |
| 2499 | 0 | Procedures for selecting environmental performance indicators | Does the report define the procedures used by the company to select its environmental performance indicators? |
| 2599 | 0 | Rationale for environmental initiatives and mitigations | Does the report describe the reasoning behind selecting particular environmental initiatives and mitigations? |
| 5499 | 0 | Rationale for goals and targets | Does the report provide a rationale for selecting particular environmental goals and targets? |
Materials usage | |||
| Question Number | Score | Topic | Description |
| 161 | 0 | Pesticides used | Amount of pesticides used for landscaping or crop production. |
| 162 | 0 | Fertilizer used | Amount of fertilizer used for landscaping or agricultural purposes |
| 166 | 3 | Green food purchasing | Amount of food purchases come from local or organic sources, sustainable farms, or sustainable fisheries |
Recycling | |||
| Question Number | Score | Topic | Description |
| 30 | 0 | Waste recycled: solid waste | Sum of all solid waste recycled, including hazardous waste. |
| 32 | 1 | Waste (office) recycled | Office recycling of paper, cardboard, metal, or plastic |
Waste | |||
| Question Number | Score | Topic | Description |
| 34 | 1 | Waste (solid) disposed of | Includes solid hazardous and non-hazardous waste landfilled, incinerated, or transferred. |
| 35 | 0 | Waste (hazardous) produced | Sum of all hazardous materials remaining after production, irrespective of final disposition. Hazardous wastes include items identified as TRI, PRTR, HAP (Hazardous Air Pollutants), and similar indices, and may include mercury or lead. Depending on the nationality of the organization, this could be labeled "TRI" (Toxic Release Inventory), "substance releases" , or something else. |
| 37 | 0 | Waste (hazardous) released to the environment | Amounts of hazardous materials released into the environment, total (TRI, PRTR, HAP (Hazardous Air Pollutants), and similar indices), may include mercury or lead. Depending on the nationality of the organization, this could be labeled "TRI" (Toxic Release Inventory), "substance releases" , or something else. |
| 110 | 3 | Waste water released to natural water bodies | Amount of waste water released into natural waters. |
Water | |||
| Question Number | Score | Topic | Description |
| 29 | 3 | Water used | Sum of all water used during operations. |
|
Accountability | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Question Number | Score | Topic | Description |
| 51 | 0 | Health and Safety, or Social organizational structure | -Discussion: of organizational structure or staffing for ensuring health and safety or social responsibility. -Initiatives/actions: include identification of the individuals currently holding the staff positions. |
| 54 | 0 | Third-party validation | -Discussion: of the value (or lack thereof) of third-party auditing or validation. -Initiatives/actions: include formal auditing or validation by a qualified external third-party source. |
Management | |||
| Question Number | Score | Topic | Description |
| 17 | 0 | Workforce profile: Ethnicities/Race | -Discussion: of racial or ethnic distribution of workforce. -Initiatives/actions: taken to avoid racial or ethnic discrimination. |
| 18 | 0 | Workforce profile: Gender | -Discussion: of gender distribution of workforce. -Initiatives/actions: taken to avoid gender discrimination and achieve appropriate balance |
| 52 | 0 | Workforce profile: Age | -Discussion: of age distribution of workforce. -Initiatives/actions: include measures taken to avoid age discrimination or to encourage a balanced age structure. |
| 53 | 0 | Emergency preparedness program | -Discussion: of emergency preparedness programs to prepare employees or the public to cope with potential emergencies at the organization's facilities. -Initiatives/actions: include measures taken to implement such programs. |
| 82 | 0 | Employee training for career development | -Discussion: of training, skills and learning programs appropriate to support employees' upward mobility. -Initiatives/actions: taken to implement such training. |
Policy | |||
| Question Number | Score | Topic | Description |
| 45 | 0 | Social policy statement | -Discussion: includes a formal statement of the company's social policy or plan. -Initiatives/actions: include a description of how the policy is being implemented. |
| 47 | 0 | Code of conduct or business ethics | -Discussion: includes a formal organizational code of conduct or of ethical behavior. -Initiatives/actions: include measures to assure that the code of conduct is followed. |
| 49 | 0 | Supplier screening based on social or environmental performance/ Supplier management | -Discussion: or description of procedures to evaluate and select suppliers on their ability to meet the requirements of the company's social or environmental policy and principles. -Initiatives/actions: include measures to implement or assure such screening or selection. |
Social Demographic | |||
| Question Number | Score | Topic | Description |
| 80 | 2 | Employment for individuals with disabilities | -Discussion: of appropriate actions to accommodate employees with disabilities. -Initiatives/actions: taken to implement such accommodations. |
The College Sustainability Report Card Criteria | |||
| Question Number | Score | Topic | Description |
| 288 | 0 | Formal Sustainability Commitments | Discussion: of sustainability policies and commitments that could be made by administrators or trustees. Initiatives/Actions: to formalize such commitments (such as becoming a signatory to the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment.) |
| 292 | 0 | Student involvement | -Discussion: of student participation in sustainability initiatives. -Initiatives/Actions: taken either by administrators or by student groups, to encourage such activities . |
| 294 | 0 | Endowment Transparency. | Discussion: of accessibility to endowment investment information and shareholder proxy voting records by students, faculty, alumni, or the public at large. -Initiatives/Actions: taken to provide accessibility to such information. |
| 295 | 0 | Investment Priorities | -Discussion: of consideration of socially responsible investing, such as in renewable energy funds or community development loan funds. -Initiatives/Actions: taken to make such investments. |
| 296 | 0 | Shareholder Engagement. | -Discussion: of whether investments include the opportunity for shareholder proxy voting (as would direct investment in specific corporate stock) and whether students, faculty, or alumni can participate in such decisions. -Initiatives/Actions: taken to allow some level of such participation. |
Vision | |||
| Question Number | Score | Topic | Description |
| 42 | 0 | Social visionary statement | -Discussion: includes a clear visionary statement expressing an organizational commitment good social performance. -Initiatives/actions: include measures taken to fulfill that commitment. |
| 43 | 1 | Social impediments and challenges | Discussion: of impediments and challenges faced by the organization in attempting to realize its social vision and commitments. Initiatives/actions: include measures taken to overcome them. |
|
Human Rights | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Question Number | Score | Topic | Description |
| 1 | 4 | Sexual harassment | Rejection of any form of sexual harassment. |
| 7 | 0 | Political contributions | Policy about political contributions |
| 8 | 0 | Bribery | Rejection of bribery |
| 58 | 0 | Anti-corruption practices | Efforts to uphold the highest standards of business ethics and integrity. May be found under a Code of Conduct. |
| 59 | 0 | Degrading treatment or punishment of employees | Commitment to oppose any corporal/hard labor punishment, mental/physical coercion, or verbal abuse. |
| 60 | 2 | Elimination of discrimination in respect to employment and occupation | Commitment not to engage in any kind of discrimination based on ethnicity, caste, religion, disability, sex, age, sexual orientation, union membership, or political affiliation in hiring practices or employee treatment. |
| 61 | 0 | Free association and collective bargaining of employees | Efforts to respect the right of employees to form and join trade unions of their choice and to bargain collectively. |
| 62 | 0 | Fair compensation of employees | Assurance that wages paid meet or exceed legal or industry minimum standard. |
| 63 | 0 | Elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labor | Assurance that all employees enter employment with the company of their own free will, not by compulsion. |
| 64 | 0 | Reasonable working hours | Compliance with applicable laws and industry standards on working hours, including overtime. |
| 65 | 0 | Effective abolition of child labor | Rejection of illegal child labor by the company or its affiliates. |
Management | |||
| Question Number | Score | Topic | Description |
| 2 | 0 | Women in Management | Relative numbers of women in management. |
Qualitative Social | |||
| Question Number | Score | Topic | Description |
| 66 | 4 | Community development | Efforts to participate in social activities that improve the quality of life of communities including that of indigenous people, where the organization operates. |
| 67 | 0 | Employee satisfaction surveys | Surveys to monitor employee satisfaction. |
| 68 | 2 | Community education | Efforts to support education in the communities where the company is located. |
| 70 | 3 | Occupational health and safety protection | Efforts to provide a safe and healthy working environment at all sites. |
| 72 | 3 | Employee volunteerism | Efforts to promote employee volunteerism in social or environmental projects. |
Quantitative Social | |||
| Question Number | Score | Topic | Description |
| 3 | 0 | Employee turnover rate | Annual employee turnover rate. |
| 74 | 0 | Recordable incident/accident rate | Number of employee incidents or accidents, such as: “total case incident rate”, “incident rate”, or "accident rate". |
| 75 | 0 | Lost workday case rate | Number of employee injuries or illnesses that resulted in one or more lost workdays |
| 76 | 0 | Health and safety citations | Number of health and safety citations or notices of violation. If it is stated that there were none, check lines 1,2,3, 4, and 6. |
| 77 | 1 | Health and safety fines | Fines levied against a company for health and safety violations. |
| 81 | 1 | Social community investment | Amount of money spent on community outreach, including education grants, donations, and relief effort funds. |
|
About the Pacific Sustainability Index The Pacific Sustainability Index was developed at the Roberts Environmental Center at Claremont McKenna College in California, for the purpose of scoring corporate environmental and sustainability reports. It was introduced in 2002 in the book "Clean Green and Read All Over: Ten Rules for Effective Environmental and Sustainability Reporting," published by the American Society for Quality Press, in which it is described in some detail. Undergraduates from several of the Claremont Colleges, working in the Roberts Center, apply this Index to current corporate environmental and sustainability reports accessed in hard copy or through the world wide web, and publish the results on the Roberts Environmental Center website. We assign letter grades by dividing the maximum PSI score obtained in the sector into 12 equal parts and then rounding fractional scores up or down. This means that A+ and F are under-represented compared to the other grades. Companies with scores in the highest 4% get an A+ and any in the bottom 4% get an F. The same technique applies to the separate categories of environmental and social scores. Thus, we grade on a curve. We make the assumption that the highest score obtained in the sector and any scores near it represent the state of the art for that sector and deserve an A+. Caveat and disclaimer: There is a fair amount of subjectivity associated with scoring corporate environmental and sustainability reports using this Index, and even the most experienced analyst is often uncertain whether a particular topic deserves a score of 1 or 2. In addition to that uncertainty, many of the reports presented on the Roberts web site have been scored by undergraduates who, although trained by the Center, have varying amounts of experience in scoring. Also, in large and complicated reports, many of which exceed 100 pages, it is not difficult to overlook data which should have received points in the Index. Consequently, the scores should be thought of as approximate and subject to revision. We welcome external input on any perceived incorrect scoring and will update the online reports as warranted. All reports are dated at the bottom. The most recent one reflects our current analysis. Please address comments to J. Emil Morhardt at (909) 621-8190 or emorhardt@mckenna.edu |
|
About the Roberts Environmental Center The Roberts Environmental Center is one of nine endowed research institutes at Claremont McKenna College (CMC). Its primary function is to engage undergraduates, including those from the other Claremont Colleges, in active research pertaining to current environmental issues. In keeping with its oversight of the Environment, Economics, and Politics major at Claremont McKenna and Scripps colleges, the Roberts Environmental Center chooses research subjects that include economic and political components in addition to scientific considerations. The current project on corporate environmental transparency and performance reflects that goal. |
|
About Claremont McKenna College and the Claremont Colleges Claremont McKenna College (CMC) is a highly selective, independent, coeducational, residential, undergraduate liberal arts college -- one with a curricular emphasis on economics, government, and public affairs. By combining the intellectual breadth of the liberal arts with the more pragmatic concerns of public affairs, CMC helps students acquire the vision, skills, and values they will need to lead society. With an on-campus enrollment of approximately 1,000 students, CMC is currently the youngest and smallest college ranked in the U. S. News & World Report top 15. Although an institution unto itself, CMC is also part of a larger community -- The Claremont Colleges. These include Pomona College, Scripps College, Pitzer College, Harvey Mudd College, The Claremont Graduate University (which houses the Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management), and the Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences (KGI). All except KGI are on contiguous campuses and students at any of the institutions may take courses at any of the others. There are about 5,000 undergraduates and 1000 graduate students in the consortium at any given time. |
|
This Pacific Sustainability Index form is adapted with permission from Morhardt, J. Emil, 2002, Clean Green, and Read All Over: Ten Rules for Effective Environmental and Sustainability Reporting, ASQ Quality Press. 316 pages. |