Refine
Year of Publication
- 2006 (67) (remove)
Document Type
- Part of a Book (21)
- Report (16)
- Contribution to Periodical (14)
- Peer-Reviewed Article (5)
- Conference Object (5)
- Working Paper (4)
- Book (1)
- Habilitation (1)
Division
- Nachhaltiges Produzieren und Konsumieren (67) (remove)
Mögliche Risiken für Unternehmen bei Direktinvestitionen in Ländern mit niedriger Umweltregulierung
(2006)
Information and communiction technologies (ICTs), as a crosscutting evolving technology, can contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This opinion is not only voiced by business, but also expressed in specific MDG targets as well as from a range of stakeholders, e.g. NGOs, intergovernmental organisations and financial institutions. However, ICT implications are not only beneficial, a range of stakeholders raises critical issues. Quantified information on ICT contribution to the MDGs available today on both micro and macro level does not meet the expectations. Business actors thus need solid and balanced sustainability information to accurately get the implications of ICT and to promote and assess their voluntary activities. In this context the project "A Comprehensive Approach for Assessing Risks and Opportunities of the ICT sector and ICT applications" addressed the contributions of the ICT sector to the achievement of the MDGs. The project's core objective has been to develop a discussion paper on the assessment of risks and opportunities of ICT. The scope of the paper is to raise awareness for a balanced approach of sustainability information (regarding the contribution to the MDGs, at micro and macro level, risks and opportunities) and to provide best practice examples for a comprehensive approach in the ICT sector. Therefore, research questions have been addressed such as: How can ICT contributions to the MDGs be quantified? What are the demands on sustainability information for the ICT sector? What are the business implications from this?
Assessing social aspects
(2006)
Die Nanotechnologie verspricht eine Fülle positiver Auswirkungen auf die Gesellschaft. Gleichzeitig werden diverse potentielle Risiken diskutiert. Es ergeben sich eine Vielzahl an ethischen Fragestellungen. Zunächst wird beschrieben, was unter Nanotechnologie zu verstehen ist. Es wird dann das Problemfeld ethischer Fragestellungen skizziert. Im Anschluss wird dargestellt, wie Chancen und Risiken der Nanotechnologie in einem Praxisprojekt adressiert werden können.
Many concepts are able to initiate an increase in resource productivity in enterprises and supply chains – although some of these approaches do not directly address resource efficiency. From these instruments, we derived seven important set-screws, pointing at the most important starting points for resource productivity. Considering the differences of the examined set-screws in general and of the approaches lying in the background in particular, the existing portfolio of instruments seems broad enough to successfully implement instruments aiming at an increase of resource efficiency in the enterprises. However, it is necessary to adapt the selection of instruments to the conditions of the specific enterprise.
In this paper Justus von Geibler, Kora Kristof and Jan Walter highlight how sustainability demands can be integrated in early innovation phases and how new markets for sustainable products can be explored. The paper describes related experiences from a research project on future market development for timber in the building sector, conducted for the German Ministry for Research and Education.
The concept of corporate resource efficiency accounting : a case study in the electronic industry
(2006)
COMPASS to sustainability
(2006)
Accounting for the social dimension of sustainability : experiences from the biotechnology industry
(2006)
Accounting for the social dimension of sustainability proves to be a challenge for corporate practitioners, due to its intangible, qualitative nature and lack of consensus on relevant criteria. We suggest a semi-quantitative approach based on stakeholder involvement to identify relevant aspects for a sector specific assessment of the social dimension. Our case study on biotechnology illustrates that the dialogue with internal and external stakeholders enabled the creation of a key performance indicator (KPI) set to account for social sustainability in the early design stages of biotechnological processes and product development. Indicators for eight aspects are identified for the social assessment: health and safety, quality of working conditions, impact on employment, education and training, knowledge management, innovation potential, customer acceptance and societal product benefit, and social dialogue. We describe the integration of the KPI set in a software application, tailor made for practitioners of the sector, and highlight first user experiences.
In this brochure, WISIONS focuses on the significance of innovative strategies for saving energy in schools, including two types of projects: energy education projects and those that focus on sustainable energy technologies. WISIONS presents projects from India, France, Germany and Uganda that have been successfully implemented, with the intention of further promoting the particular approaches used by these projects. Using a key number of internationally accepted criteria, the main consideration for the selection of the projects was energy and resource efficiency, but social aspects such as the inclusion of pupils, teachers and parents were also of relevance. The assessment of the projects also included the consideration of regional factors acknowledging different needs and potentials.
Nachhaltigen Konsum bewerten
(2006)
Lern- und Innovationsfähigkeit von Unternehmen und Organisationen : Kriterien und Indikatoren
(2006)
Das vorliegende Papier setzt sich mit den grundlegenden Elementen für höherwertige Lern- und Innovationsprozesse auseinander. Dazu wurden Ansätze der Organisationsforschung auf die wichtigsten Bestandteile für organisationales Lernen und Innovation analysiert. So wurden die zwölf bedeutendsten Aspekte für Lernen und Innovation in Organisationen extrahiert und Indikatoren gebildet. Im Einzelnen wurden die Aspekte Lerngeschichte, Lernräume, Wissensmanagement, Vision, Verantwortungsübernahme, Forschungs- und Evaluationsorientierung, Vertrauen und Offenheit, Fehlerkultur, Kritikkultur, Dialogfähigkeit, Reflexionsfähigkeit und schließlich systemisches Denken für eine Operationalisierung organisationalen Lernens und Innovationsfähigkeit ausgewählt.
Auf KURS in die Zukunft
(2006)
Im Zeitalter der Aufklärung werden mittelalterliche Naturvorstellungen von neuzeitlichen abgelöst, die von Naturbeherrschung geprägt sind. Doch weshalb mussten auf der Epochenschwelle Scheiterhaufen brennen, weshalb war die Befreiung aus dem Naturzusammenhang patriarchal angelegt? Uta von Winterfeld untersucht aus feministischer und herrschaftskritischer Perspektive "Naturpatriarchen" auf die Schattenseiten ihrer aufklärenden Absicht: Das befreite Denken eines René Descartes ist auf Kontrolle und Beherrschung der Natur angewiesen; bei Francis Bacon verdrängt das männliche Schaffen die produktive Seite einer als weiblich gedachten Natur; Giordano Bruno verweist darauf, wie widersprüchlich und ambivalent neuzeitliche Naturvorstellungen sind. Die damals entstehenden Naturwissenschaften entzaubern eine "dunkle" oder "böse" Natur - die doch zuvor von geistlichen und weltlichen Obrigkeiten in Gestalt der dunklen und bösen "Hexe" erst geschaffen worden ist. Die Frage der Naturpatriarchen nach der Methode des richtigen Vernunftgebrauchs gilt noch immer: Wie kann ein emanzipiertes Subjekt aus dem Naturzusammenhang befreit werden, ohne ihm ein anderes Subjekt, als Objekt, zwangsläufig zu unterwerfen?
Microfinance and renewable energy : investing in a sustainable future ; WISIONS of sustainability
(2006)
In this brochure, WISIONS focuses on the micro financing of renewable energy systems. WISIONS presents projects from Peru, South Africa, China and Nepal that have been successfully implemented, with the intention of further promoting the particular approaches used by these projects. Using a key number of internationally accepted criteria, the main consideration for the selection of the microfinance projects was the inclusion of renewable energy technologies like solar/photovoltaic systems, wind energy and hydropower biogas used for cooking, lighting, power telecommunications equipment, radio, television, household electrification, health clinics, water pumping, milling and grinding, water disinfection, fencing, computer education, machinery operation, etc. in households or businesses.