Sustainability Assessment: The Application of a Methodological Framework

Research shows that the basic principles of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) are being applied to other than purely environmental issues. The demand for EIA at higher levels of planning and policy making, strategic environmental assessment (SEA), has given rise to a discussion about the need for an appropriate assessment or reference framework. This discussion is linked to the question of how sustainable development principles can be introduced in the decision making process. A general methodological framework for sustainability assessment, the so-called ASSIPAC-method (Assessing the Sustainability of Societal Initiatives and Proposing Agendas for Change) is presented. Two cases dealing with company transportation management plans illustrate the application of the ASSIPAC-method. Opportunities and limitations of the proposed sustainability assessment methodology are discussed.