Our report looks at three other areas where we are working to build better tools. In A Strategic Approach to Environmental Management, we present the results of a review of the practices of some leading corporations like Nortel, TransAlta, and Volvo. We found that effective sustainable development strategies in the public or the private sector have much in common with good strategic planning in general. They involve commitment from the top, education and awareness throughout the organization, clear goals and measurable targets. The key elements are very straightforward, and the results are surprisingly effective.
Good information can lead to environmental gains, or cost reductions, or both.
This is why we are committed to working with government departments to develop ways of accounting for sustainable development. In reports on work with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to develop new ways of using both financial and other information that can help managers make better decisions. What gets measured gets done. Therefore performance indicators are critical to better operational and policy decisions. In our chapter Performance Measurement for Sustainable Development Strategies, we set out the characteristics of a good performance indicator.