Sustainability Strategy Flashcards

Which framework is most commonly used to align a facility's sustainability strategy with internationally recognized development goals?

Answer: UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The UN SDGs provide a globally recognized framework of 17 goals that organizations use to align and communicate their sustainability strategies.

A facility manager wants to embed sustainability into procurement decisions. Which approach best reflects a strategic, lifecycle-based perspective?

Answer: Using total cost of ownership including environmental and social factors

Total cost of ownership (TCO) that incorporates environmental and social factors reflects a full lifecycle strategic approach to sustainable procurement.

When developing a sustainability business case for executive leadership, which financial metric is most persuasive for demonstrating value?

Answer: Net Present Value (NPV) combined with risk reduction benefits

NPV combined with risk reduction gives executives a complete financial picture, accounting for both monetary returns and strategic risk mitigation.

What does a 'materiality assessment' help a facility organization determine in sustainability strategy?

Answer: Which sustainability issues are most significant to the organization and stakeholders

A materiality assessment identifies and prioritizes sustainability topics that are most relevant to the organization's business and its key stakeholders.

Science-based targets (SBTs) for a facility's greenhouse gas emissions are defined relative to what benchmark?

Answer: What climate science says is necessary to limit global warming to 1.5°C or 2°C

Science-based targets are emissions reduction goals aligned with what climate science determines is needed to meet Paris Agreement temperature thresholds.

A facility's sustainability strategy should ideally integrate with which business planning process to ensure resource allocation?

Answer: Capital planning and budgeting cycles

Integrating sustainability into capital planning ensures that sustainability initiatives receive funding and are prioritized alongside other organizational investments.

Which concept describes designing a facility strategy where waste from one process becomes input for another, minimizing resource consumption?

Answer: Circular economy model

The circular economy model eliminates waste by designing systems where outputs of one process serve as inputs for another, keeping resources in use longer.