Key Performance Indicators
Tracking environmental performance and targeting improvement with key performance indicators
When operated as part of a measuring to manage programme, key performance indicators (KPIs) allow companies to track how well they are doing and to identify opportunities to:
- save money and thus increase profits
- use resources more efficiently
- minimise waste (raw materials, product, energy, water, packaging, etc)
- prevent pollution
KPIs can also help your company to comply with environmental legislation and to improve operational efficiency.
KPIs aimed at process and operational issues are suggested for the following sectors:
These should help companies of all sizes improve efficiency (raw material and utility use), although some end-of-pipe indicators are given for emissions to air, effluent and solid waste.
There are also suggested cross-sectoral KPIs for:
The KPIs suggested are a set that could be used as a starting point for individual company KPIs. The indicators are likely to be of use to companies primarily for internal benchmarking and continuous improvement, although sectors that use simpler/more homogenous processes may also be able to benchmark externally. A company's choice of indicator will depend on its particular circumstances.
For each sector, core indicators are presented that are suitable for most or all companies, together with suggestions for secondary and alternative indicators. Specific process-level (sub-site level) and sub-sector indicators are given for certain sectors (eg electronics and whiteware) as examples of how KPIs can be used to examine processes in more detail in order to enhance the improvement process.
Before looking at the sector indicators, you may first find it useful to understand more about KPIs and measurement in our KPI frequently asked questions section.
