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Glossary
The
glossary of terms is divided into four parts, please select one
from below:
A to F - Alternative
fuels to Food miles
G to L - Genetic
engineering to Life cycle assessment
M to R - Management
system to Risk Management
S to Z - Scenarios
to World Business Council
M to R
Management system
A means by which organisations can formalise,
document and improve their management practices. A management system
usually incorporates consideration or development of organisational
policies, programmes, procedures, structure and resourcing.
Organic farming
Organic farming uses systems which are designed
to produce optimum quantities of food of good nutritional quality
by using methods which avoid the use of chemical inputs and minimises
damage to the environment and wildlife.
Ozone depletion
The degradation of the Earth’s protective
layer of ozone in the high atmosphere by some industrial and domestic
gases. Avoiding the use of such gases is crucial to avoid damage
to health, such as skin cancer, from excessive ultraviolet radiation.
Plan, do, check, act (PDCA)
The conventional model for a management system
that follows a logical progression of activities all of which aim
to improve the performance of the organisation.
Producer responsibility
By encouraging producers to be responsible
for preventing pollution, reducing use of energy and other resources
throughout the life-cycle of a product by better design and production
means the onus is now on all stakeholders to ensure that products
are recovered and recycled at the end of their life.
Renewable energy
Energy sources which do not rely on the burning
of fossil fuels or nuclear reactions are renewable in that they
are continually available and essentially free, except for the cost
of capturing them through engineering solutions. The current major
renewable energy sources are hydro-electricity, wind and solar power.
Geothermal (hot-rocks), wave and tidal energy are also being developed.
Responsiveness
The responsibility of an organisation for
its acts and omissions, including the processes of decision-making
and the results of these decisions. Responsiveness entails a responsibility
to develop an organisation's processes and targets to support the
continuous improvement of it's performance.
Reuse & recycle
The reuse of products themselves, for example
the refilling of printer toner cartridges, drastically cuts down on waste. By recycling materials to
provide the feedstock for other products the amount of material
going to incineration or landfill can be reduced.
Risk management
The management of sustainable business practices
which can enhance or undermine performance. Unsustainable practices
are high risk leading to diminished performance.
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