The Concept of the Sustainability Flower What is the Sustainability Flower? The Sustainability Flower (SF) represents a communication and information management tool symbolizing the concept of sustainable development in its four dimensions (ecology with its six sub dimensions, societal life, cultural life, and economic life). It was developed within a network of international organizations from the organic – biodynamic – green – sustainable movement cooperating under the umbrella of the „International Association of Partnership“ (IAP). Each dimension has several Performance Aspects which themselves have different Performance Indicators (based on the GRI G3 of the Global Reporting Initiative) with specific targets. In the last years we learnt a lot through applying this concept to our work, also which Performance Aspects are easy to assess and which are not. Currently, we are adapting the Sustainability Flower framework according to our learnings, so that also other companies can make better use of the tool. From next year on we are going to report correspondingly.
Flower
Dimensions
Goals
Aspects
Indicators
implementation and regular review process
Targets
Measurement
Evaluation
Communication
ACTION
Why does SEKEM use the Sustainability Flower? • As an information source for all stakeholders of SEKEM (clients, employees, customers, investors, business partners, media etc.), the Sustainability Flower helps to disclose SEKEM’s self-concept as a responsible company and, thus, make it possible that SEKEM serves as a role model for other organizations that aim at sustainable development. • As a strategic management tool for collecting data on SEKEM’s economic, social, cultural and ecological performance, the SF helps aligning the organization to its vision, mission and policies. Most importantly, it supports management in setting targets, measuring progress, and identifying room for improvement. The performance of SEKEM is summarized in the Sustainable Development Scorecard (SDC, see page 7). The evaluation of the reached levels follows the methodology described on page 84ff. • The contribution of the individual SEKEM companies to the overall sustainable development of the SEKEM Holding becomes more clear and transparent after applying the Sustainable Development Scorecard also on company level (see page 64ff). Sustainability Performance Performance
yearly evaluation process
Profile of SEKEM’s Report on Sustainable Development 2010 The reporting period of the Report on Sustainable Development 2010 embraces January to December 2010 and thus continues the Sustainable Development story of the 2009 report that had been published July 2010. SEKEM uses the report for communicating on all four dimensions of the Sustainability Flower including the financial statement. If not other stated, the scope includes all SEKEM companies as of page 14-15 excluding SEKEM Europe. The data basis for this report is mainly deduced from certified management and quality management systems. We have aimed to ensure
that the data and information provided in this report is as accurate as possible. Wherever data is based on estimations and/or other limitations apply, this is indicated. In cases of significant changes these are described directly in the context. The main difference to the data basis of last year is the inclusion of SEKEM for Land Reclamation and LOTUS Upper Egypt. A detailed index of the information requested by the GRI G3 and the Communication on Progress (CoP) of the UN Global Compact is provided at page 90 to 95.