Nike Considered Index TNS Review Final
Review of Nike Considered Index and Support Tools 1
Description of the Considered Index Approach
Introduction
The Considered Index approach can be described as a set of strategic design innovation tools providing:
Nike has invited The Natural Step to provide external assessment and advice on the Considered Index from a strategic sustainable development perspective. This review covers the overall Index approach, recognizing that there are variations of the Index (e.g. for apparel and footwear). The assessment method is explained below.
We refer to different aspects of the Index in this review, so a description of the approach and its parts is provided. We then give an overall assessment, followed by technical examination of different parts of the Index and commentary on its public release.
1) Insight into the environmental impacts of materials used in product creation (material scores).
2) Incentives for Nike to make more sustainable products, in line with the company’s priorities and goals (product scores).
3) Communication of the performance results using Nike’s internal standards (Considered benchmarks e.g. Gold standard).
4) Company targets for continual improvement (stretch goals for meeting company‐wide benchmarks of product performance by a given year e.g. all footwear to be Considered Bronze by 2011). The two main tools that make up the approach are:
Assessment Method – Backcasting from Success
The assessment has been conducted using both the sustainability principles and backcasting planning method of the unifying
Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development, promoted by The
Natural Step in collaboration with its international research and practitioner networks. Four science‐based sustainability principles from the framework describe success in terms of the conditions needed for a sustainable society, providing an operational definition of sustainability that allows for a gap analysis between where we
Description of the Considered Index Approach
Introduction
The Considered Index approach can be described as a set of strategic design innovation tools providing:
Nike has invited The Natural Step to provide external assessment and advice on the Considered Index from a strategic sustainable development perspective. This review covers the overall Index approach, recognizing that there are variations of the Index (e.g. for apparel and footwear). The assessment method is explained below.
We refer to different aspects of the Index in this review, so a description of the approach and its parts is provided. We then give an overall assessment, followed by technical examination of different parts of the Index and commentary on its public release.
1) Insight into the environmental impacts of materials used in product creation (material scores).
2) Incentives for Nike to make more sustainable products, in line with the company’s priorities and goals (product scores).
3) Communication of the performance results using Nike’s internal standards (Considered benchmarks e.g. Gold standard).
4) Company targets for continual improvement (stretch goals for meeting company‐wide benchmarks of product performance by a given year e.g. all footwear to be Considered Bronze by 2011). The two main tools that make up the approach are:
Assessment Method – Backcasting from Success
The assessment has been conducted using both the sustainability principles and backcasting planning method of the unifying
Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development, promoted by The
Natural Step in collaboration with its international research and practitioner networks. Four science‐based sustainability principles from the framework describe success in terms of the conditions needed for a sustainable society, providing an operational definition of sustainability that allows for a gap analysis between where we