Sustainability Research

Climate change, renewable energy, economic and social transformation – the United Nations has set 17 Sustainable Development Goals on its 2030 Agenda. However, for many organizations implementing sustainability is a complex task. Our sustainabiltiy research provides scientific analysis which enables sustainable development and solutions to global challenges.

WifOR’s sustainability research supports organizations and industries to make evidence-based decisions. With the help of our studies, we enabe our clients to actively manage their social, environmental, and economic impacts.

WifOR Sustainability Impact
Tool – WISIT

Calculate upstream impacts

Identify hotspots

Graphics and data for reporting

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What is Sustainability Research?

WifOR’s sustainability research has developed common standards for measuring sustainability, which we aim to implement in global practice. Through integrating the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals into our approach, WifOR’s sustainability research bridges the gap between business and politics – supporting dynamic cooperation at an international scale. Companies, governments, NGOs, and associations see WifOR as a trusted scientific partner and leading provider of data and insights.

WifOR Institute’s Sustainability Research

What are the dimensions of Sustainability Research?

Sustainability research at WifOR is categorized into three dimensions: social impact, environmental impact, and economic impact. This approach offers an holistic overview of the impact organizations and industries have while also delivering actionable insights for addressing sustainability issues.

Research projects adopt either a focus on a specific dimension of impact (e.g. Environmental Footprint) or follow a multidimensional approach (e.g. Sustainability Monitoring). Alternaitvely, our SEE Impact Valuation model takes a deep dive across the sustainability dimesions (social, environmental, economic) and provides in-depth impact analysis as the foundation for sustainability management.

How is sustainability measured?

Sustainability extends throughout the value chain. Managing sustainability requires organizations and industries to go beyond the remit of direct practices and to understand the impact their activities have across global, interconnected supply chains. Sustainability research uses extended input-output analyses to calculate impact – from own operations, throughout the value chain.

How does WifOR’s Sustainability Research support organizations and industries?

From the extraction of raw materials to finished products, organizations and industries have the power to shape society, the environment, and the economy. As legal obligations and stakeholder expectations shift the paradigms in global business and politics, managing sustainability has become an intrinsic component of strategic decision-making and long-term growth.

WifOR’s sustainability research provides the foundation to effectively manage sustainable development and simultaneously address global challenges. Our research projects enable organizations and industries to focus on long-term targets, report non-financial performance based on valid data, and communicate sustainability progress with stakeholders throughout society.

Jari Kinaret

Director of the Graphene Flagship Project

WifOR’s study on the Graphene Flagship’s Economic and R&D Footprint provides evidence, first and foremost, that the EU’s investments in the program are paying off in multiple ways – in Europe and worldwide.

Dr. Marc-Pierre Möll

CEO BVMed

On behalf of the German Medical Technology Association (BVMed), WifOR Institute has produced a assessment of the social, economic, and environmental footprint of an industry – the first of its kind worldwide. The SEE Impact Study from Autumn 2022 creates the basis for comprehensive sustainability measurement of the industry, and its supply chain, based on key indicators and industry comparisons.

Dr. Tobias Hackmann

Excellence Lead Industrial Health Economy Roche

WifOR has been supporting Roche with macroeconomic analyses for many years – most recently with an impact valuation using the VBA method. The results are very valuable for us; they create transparency about the Social Impact of our activities along global supply chains – for our internal as well as our external stakeholders.

Latest articles from WifOR’s Sustainability Research

A comparison of German and European supply chain laws

What do the new supply chain laws mean for companies?
Nonfinancial Reporting

Net Zero – How to develop strategies using sustainability reporting standards
IGBCE Study

Impact Measurement and Valuation of corporate activities

Sustainability Research

WifOR Sustainability Impact
Tool – WISIT

WifOR Institute’s
Impact Valuation Factors

Sustainability Glossary

WifOR has published its
Impact Valuation Factors

WifOR Sustainability Impact
Tool – WISIT

Sustainability Glossary

What is Sustainability Research?

WifOR Institute’s Sustainability Research

What are the dimensions of Sustainability Research?

How is sustainability measured?