Since we published our guide for credible benchmarking in 2020, many new benchmarking initiatives have been developed and practical experience gained. We want to capture some of that learning through a revision to the guide. Consultation will open at the end of October 2024.
We published the Sustainability Benchmarking Good Practice Guide to bring more quality and credibility to sustainability benchmarking. We were concerned with the rapid proliferation of benchmarks of varying qualities. Without guidance on how to lead a rigorous and transparent process, and how to assess these tools, there was potential for some of these benchmarks to be designed in ways that undermined rather than supported the transition to a more sustainable world.
Our guide has been well received. We know it has been useful to organisations that develop and implement benchmarks and to stakeholders who use the results of these benchmarks. It helped the benchmarking initiatives to produce information that is more relevant, accurate and trustworthy, and actively seek input from technical experts, taking the time to understand the diversity of approaches used by sustainability tools to effect positive change.
However, there is still more ground to cover. Companies, governments and other stakeholders are increasingly looking to benchmarking as a mechanism to bring clarity to a crowded and confusing space.
We want to make sure our guide is more accessible and resonates with these different audiences so that the new benchmarks can be as effective as possible.
Importantly, we also want the new guide to help us bring more consistency to the benchmarking of sustainability systems. Benchmarking these tools is challenging and resource intensive.
It is true that every benchmark serves a different purpose, but there is really no sense in reinventing the wheel. By aligning with widely recognised frameworks, benchmarking initiatives benefit from greater accuracy and feasibility, and become part of a more useful network of benchmarks.
How we’re looking to improve the guide
- Focus exclusively on sustainability systems
- Update references to useful frameworks
- Offer more examples
- Simplify the layout and shorten the length
- Make the language more accessible
The consultation process
We want to share the new draft for public consultation to maximise its value as a free resource for organisations developing benchmarks of sustainability systems, stakeholders using those benchmarks, and entities being benchmarked.
Whether or not you have used our current guide, please do get involved in the consultation if you have experience or expertise to share.
We will open the consultation at the end of October 2024 and will announce the launch via social media. Find us on X and LinkedIn.
We will be using this consultation page to share the draft and related resources.
For more information on the new guide or the revision process, please contact: Maira Devisscher, Innovations Manager, maira@isealalliance.org