Views:
Word Definition
Annual mass-flow  The "annual mass-flow" refers to the total weight of different materials used by an organization in a year, expressed in tonnes. This indicator helps assess material efficiency and identify key materials used by the organization, and facilitating monitoring of improvement measures. 
Base year The preceding year against which your company defines the reduction target. 
Biodiversity sensitive areas This includes the following types of protected nature areas : Nature 2000 sites, UNESCO World Heritage sites, Key Biodiversity Areas (‘KBAs’) and other protected area’s. Other protected areas are designated as requiring special protection by governmental authorities (e.g. forest-protected areas or areas lying within river basin districts). The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) is the most comprehensive global database on terrestrial and marine protected areas. You can use it to consult whether your company has sites near biodiversity sensitive areas. 
Bribery Dishonestly persuading someone to act in your favour by giving them a gift of money or another inducement.
Circular economy principles The European circular economy principles are: 
 
i. usability; 
ii. reusability; 
iii. repairability; 
iv. disassembly; 
v. remanufacturing or refurbishment; 
vi. recycling ; 
vii. recirculation by the biological cycle; 
viii. other potential optimalisation of product and material use. 
Circular Economy Circular economy is a strategy aimed at maintaining the value of products, materials and other resources in the economy as high as possible for as long as possible. This will the aim to significantly reduce the negative impacts of our consumption and production systems (linear : make-use-waste) that generates large amounts of waste and associated negative impacts on environment (such as pollution at the waste stage, or water used for making new products) and on people (for instance close to landfills). 
 
There are many ways to improve the circularity of products and services (see circular economy principles):  
* eliminating waste and pollution : through process improvements and/or better design of products & services (improve usability, reusability, repairability, disassembly, remanufacturing), 
* better circulate products & materials at their highest value: by improving reusability & recycling, and through circular design (improve usability, reusability, repairability, disassembly, remanufacturing), and/or the use of biobased materials, 
* regenerate nature : restore previous damage / harm done to environment. 
 Current rates of circularity are about 12% in the EU with an aim to double it by 2030.  
Climate-related hazards Examples of climate-related hazards are heat waves, increased frequency of extreme weather events, sea level rise, change in precipitation and wind patterns causing for instance storms and floods.  
Collective bargaining agreement (CLA) A collective bargaining agreement (also called a CLA) is a formal agreement between employers and workers’ representatives (like trade unions) that sets rules for pay, working hours, holidays, safety, etc. Many companies in Belgium follow a CLA that applies to their joint committee (paritair comité). Some companies also have their own company-level agreement.
Confirmed incident A legal action or complaint registered with the undertaking or competent authorities through a formal process, or an instance of non-compliance identified by the undertaking through established procedures. 
Established procedures to identify instances of non-compliance can include management system audits, formal monitoring programs, or grievance mechanisms. 
Consumer Individuals who acquire, consume or use goods and services for personal use, either for themselves or for others, and not for resale, commercial or trade, business, craft or profession purposes. 
Corruption Abuse of entrusted power for private gain, which can be instigated by individuals or organizations. It includes: 
- Practices such as facilitation payments, fraud, extortion, collusion, and money laundering.  
- An offer or receipt of any gift, loan, fee, reward, or other advantage to or from any person as an inducement to do something that is dishonest, illegal, or a breach of trust in the conduct of the undertaking’s business. 
-Cash or in-kind benefits, such as free goods, gifts, and holidays, or special personal services provided for the purpose of an improper advantage, or that can result in moral pressure to receive such an advantage. 
Entity-specific Refers to sustainability information specific to the  company due to its particular business model, operations, sector, location, or stakeholder relationships. 
Full-time equivalent (FTE) Full-time equivalent (FTE) is the number of full-time positions in an undertaking. It can be calculated by dividing an employee’s scheduled hours (total effective hours worked in a week) by the employer's hours for a full-time workweek (total hours performed by full-time employees). For 
example, an employee who works 25 hours every week for a company where the full-time week is 40 hours represents a 0,625 FTE (i.e. 25/ 40 hours). 
Future initiatives Future initiatives are the changes or projects you are planning — like installing solar panels, improving how you track your energy use, or training staff on sustainability topics. 
Governance The governance is the system of rules, practices and processes by which a company is directed and controlled. It consists of  
- strategy (What is the business' long-term vision to deal with risks and opportunities in the market?) 
- leadership (How do you engage with that information/insights? How does it affects/informs decision making?) 
- monitoring (How is your performance? Are you effective in achieving goals?) 
Greenhouse gas emission intensity Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity = gross GHG emissions in metric tonnes of CO2eq / turnover (Euro). 
Greenhouse gas emissions Emissions of one of the following six gases listed in the Kyoto Protocol: carbon dioxide (CO2); methane (CH4); nitrous oxide (N2O); Nitrogen trifluoride (NF3); hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs); perfluorocarbons (PFCs); and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).  
GHG emissions are calculated based on several sources of GHG emissions. You can use free or commercial calculator(s) to calculate your GHG emissions or ask support from specialised consultants to help you quantify your GHG emissions.  
Data on greenhouse gas emissions should always be provided in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e). The method used to calculate emissions should always comply with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and/or ISO 14064.  
Gross climate-related risks Refers to gross physical risks and gross transition risks that may result from exposure of the undertaking's assets and business activities to climate-related hazards.
Gross greenhouse gas emissions  Gross greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are total GHG emissions released by the undertaking into the atmosphere, without considering any deductions for carbon removals or other adjustments. 
Hazardous waste In the EU, hazardous waste is defined as waste exhibiting certain hazardous properties listed the dedicated legislation posing potential risks to human health or the environment. Those hazardous properties include (amongst others), explosive, flammable, toxic, carcinogen and infectious (for instance medical waste). 
Headcount Headcount  is the total number of people employed by the company at a given time. This does not take into account the difference between full-time and part-time employees. 
Human Rights Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status. Human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and many more.  Everyone is entitled to these rights, without discrimination.  
In the context of sustainability and sustainability reporting, the emphasis is on no child labor, forced labor, human trafficking and no discrimination. 
ILO declaration A global agreement by the International Labour Organization that sets basic rights for workers, like fair wages, no forced or child labour, and safe working conditions.
Land use The human use of a specific area for a certain purpose (such as residential; agriculture; recreation; industrial, etc.). Influenced by land cover (grass, asphalt, trees, bare ground, water, etc). 
Location-based scope 2 emissions Scope 2 emissions are the greenhouse gases emissions linked to the electricity, heating, cooling, or steam your company buys and uses — but that are produced somewhere else, not by you directly. 
The location-based method is a calculation method based on the average emissions from the power grid in your region (not your specific supplier). The target for this metric is to reduce your energy consumption.
Long-term More then 5 years
Main business relations These are the business relations that are related to the highest share of purchased volume/spent (fi top 10 suppliers of services and products), or those that are most critical for your business continuity and also, your main consumers and/or distributors.  
Market-based scope 2 emissions Scope 2 emissions are the greenhouse gases emissions linked to the electricity, heating, cooling, or steam your company buys and uses — but that are produced somewhere else, not by you directly. 
The market-based method is a calculation method based on the type of electricity you purchase, such as certified green energy, and reflects the emissions from your specific energy contract with your energy supplier. The target for this metric is to increase the share of green/renewable electricity purchased.
Medium-term In 1 to 5 years.
NACE code NACE codes (Nomenclature statistique des Activités économiques dans la Communauté Européenne) are a classification of economic activities used in the European Union. They provide a standardised framework for classifying economic activities into sectors and subsectors, enabling comparability and a common understanding among the various EU countries.  
Nature-oriented area This is an area dedicated primarily to nature preservation or restoration.  
They can be located on-site and include elements like roof, façade, water drainages designed, to promote biodiversity. Nature-oriented areas can also be located outside the organization site provided that the area is owned or (co-)managed by the organization and is primarily dedicated to promoting biodiversity. 
OECD guidelines Rules created by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to help companies act ethically and responsibly worldwide (e.g. human rights, environment, anti-corruption).
Operational site Operational sites are owned, leased, or managed by your company. They can be offices, warehouses, production sites, unconstructed land you own, etc. 
Pay Gap The pay gap is defined as the difference of average pay levels between female and male employees expressed as the percentage of the average pay level of male employees. 
Payroll service provider A payroll service provider manages payroll on your behalf, including calculating wages, managing tax withholdings, filing taxes, tracking employee benefits, managing direct deposits, and more 
Policies Policies are the written rules or habits your company follows — for example, always choosing eco-friendly materials, or having a clear rule on equal pay. 
Practises Practices are the things you already do in your day-to-day work that are good for people or the planet — like reusing packaging, turning off machines when not in use, or working with local suppliers. 
Recordable and work-related injury or ill health Work-related injury or ill health that results in any of the following: death, days away from work, restricted work or transfer to another job, medical treatment beyond first aid, or loss of consciousness; or significant injury or ill health diagnosed by a physician or other licensed healthcare professional, even if it does not result in death, days away from work, restricted work or job transfer, medical treatment beyond first aid, or loss of consciousness. Recordable means diagnosed by a physician or other licensed health care professionals. Injuries that do not require medical treatment beyond first aid are generally not recordable. 
Recordable Work-related Accidents A work-related accident is an event that leads to physical or mental harm therefore to injury or ill health. It happens whilst engaged in an occupational activity or during the time spent at work. Recordable means diagnosed by a physician or other licensed health care professionals.  
Report on consolidated basis The report includes information about the undertaking and its subsidiaries. 
Report on individual basis The report is limited to the undertaking’s information only. 
Scope 1 GHG emissions Scope 1 emissions cover direct emissions from owned or controlled sources. For instance, emissions associated with fuel combustion in boilers, furnaces, vehicles, or from on-site electricity production. 
Scope 2 GHG emissions Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions resulting from the activities of the reporting company (as they derive from the company’s consumed energy) which, however, occur at sources owned or controlled by another company. For instance, emissions generated by the supplier of your electricity that cools your buildings. 
Scope 3 GHG emissions Scope 3 GHG emissions encompasses all other indirect emissions across the value chain, both upstream (fi through purchased goods such as raw materials, land use changes, transport of purchased goods) as downstream (fi related to waste incineration, during use of sold products, transport of products).   
Sealed area A ‘sealed area’ is to be understood as an area where the original soil has been covered (e.g. roads, buildings, parking lots), making it impermeable and resulting in an impact on the environment (loss of biodiversity, contributing to flooding downstream the sealed area, dessication of natural habitats, etc).  
Short-term This is the same as the reporting period: 1 year or 12 months. 
Significant assets A significant asset is of substantial value and/or critical (essential) to the company's operation. These assets are crucial because their damage, loss or disruption could significantly impact the organization's ability to function and generate profits. Critical assets could also include resources. Assets can be tangible (fi. buildings) and intangible (fi. intellectual property). 
Target year The year in the future by which your company aims to achieve the set target. 
tCO2e or tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent Metric measure used to compare the emissions from various greenhouse gases on the basis of their global-warming potential (GWP), by converting amounts of other gases to the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide with the same global warming potential. 
Transition event Climate-related transition events may be policy- and legal based (e.g. enhanced emission-reporting obligations), technology-based (e.g. costs of transition to lower emissions technology), market-based (e.g. increased cost of raw materials) and reputation-based (e.g. increased stakeholder concern). 
For instance, stepping away from fossil fuel might require investments by the company. 
Public authorities regulating access to water during severy droughts might entail business operations disruptions and investments to reduce water use and built own strategic water reserves for business continuity. 
Transition risks Risks that result from a misalignment between an organization’s or investor’s strategy and management and the changing regulatory, policy or societal landscape in which it operates. Developments aimed at halting or reversing damage to the climate or to nature, such as government measures, technological breakthroughs, market changes, litigation and changing consumer preferences can all create or change transition risks. 
For instance, stepping away from fossil fuels as main energy source is a transition that may entail specific financial risks for a company, for instance increased price for fossil fuels. 
Value chain As a company you are part of a value chain. This value chain includes the actors upstream of your company (your suppliers from whom you purchase goods or services) as well as downstream (distributors, your customers, transport, waste treatment, all the way to the end users including end-of-life stages of your products (fi recycling, reuse or waste treatment)). 
VSME This is a Voluntary Sustainability  Reporting Standard for companies not obliged to publish a sustainability report. It was designed specifically for non-listed SMEs by EFRAG (the technical advisor to the European Commission on financial and non-financial or sustainability reporting matters). 
Water consumption Water consumption is water withdrawal minus water discharge. However, a lot of companies do not discharge water: it that case water consumption equals water withdrawal 
Water discharge The amount of water that leaves the companies boundaries from its production processes. If a company only discharges water from sanitation or the kitchen, it should not provide information on discharges. 
Water withdrawal The amount of water drawn into the boundaries of a company. Most of the companies withdraw their water from public supply networks.