Efficient Assessment of Social Hotspots in the Supply Chains of 100 Product Categories Using the Social Hotspots Database

Data collection, or the inventory step, is often the most labor-intensive phase of any Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study. The S-LCA Guidelines and numerous authors have recommended generic assessment in this first phase of an S-LCA. In an effort to identify the social hotspots in the supply chains o...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Catherine Benoît Norris, Gregory A. Norris, Deana Aulisio
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2014-10-01
Series:Sustainability
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/6/10/6973
id doaj-b9e383b1933a402fb4d5fcbf0b72b59c
record_format Article
spelling doaj-b9e383b1933a402fb4d5fcbf0b72b59c2020-11-24T23:01:59ZengMDPI AGSustainability2071-10502014-10-016106973698410.3390/su6106973su6106973Efficient Assessment of Social Hotspots in the Supply Chains of 100 Product Categories Using the Social Hotspots DatabaseCatherine Benoît Norris0Gregory A. Norris1Deana Aulisio2New Earth, 11 Lois Lane, York, ME 03909, USAHarvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USAUniversity of New Hampshire, Environmental Research Group, 35 Colovos Road, Durham, NH 03824-3534, USAData collection, or the inventory step, is often the most labor-intensive phase of any Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study. The S-LCA Guidelines and numerous authors have recommended generic assessment in this first phase of an S-LCA. In an effort to identify the social hotspots in the supply chains of 100 product categories during just a few months’ time, adopting a streamlined approach was essential. The Social Hotspots Database system was developed by New Earth over 5 years. It includes a Global Input Output (IO) model derived from the Global Trade Analysis Project, a Worker Hours Model constructed using annual wage payments and wage rates by country and sector, and Social Theme Tables covering 22 themes within five Social Impact Categories—Labor Rights and Decent Work, Health and Safety, Human Rights, Governance and Community Impacts. The data tables identify social risks for over 100 indicators. Both the ranking of worker hour intensity and the risk levels across multiple social themes for the Country Specific Sectors (CSS) within a product category supply chain are used to calculate Social Hotspots Indexes (SHI) using an additive weighting method. The CSS with the highest SHI are highlighted as social hotspots within the supply chain of the product in question. This system was tested in seven case studies in 2011. In order to further limit the number of hotspots, a set of prioritization rules was applied. This paper will review the method implemented to study the social hotspots of the 100 product categories and provide one detailed example. Limitations of the approach and recommended research avenues will be outlined.http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/6/10/6973social life cycle assessmentsocial footprintinghotspots assessmentsocial responsibilitysocial impactssupply chain
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Catherine Benoît Norris
Gregory A. Norris
Deana Aulisio
spellingShingle Catherine Benoît Norris
Gregory A. Norris
Deana Aulisio
Efficient Assessment of Social Hotspots in the Supply Chains of 100 Product Categories Using the Social Hotspots Database
Sustainability
social life cycle assessment
social footprinting
hotspots assessment
social responsibility
social impacts
supply chain
author_facet Catherine Benoît Norris
Gregory A. Norris
Deana Aulisio
author_sort Catherine Benoît Norris
title Efficient Assessment of Social Hotspots in the Supply Chains of 100 Product Categories Using the Social Hotspots Database
title_short Efficient Assessment of Social Hotspots in the Supply Chains of 100 Product Categories Using the Social Hotspots Database
title_full Efficient Assessment of Social Hotspots in the Supply Chains of 100 Product Categories Using the Social Hotspots Database
title_fullStr Efficient Assessment of Social Hotspots in the Supply Chains of 100 Product Categories Using the Social Hotspots Database
title_full_unstemmed Efficient Assessment of Social Hotspots in the Supply Chains of 100 Product Categories Using the Social Hotspots Database
title_sort efficient assessment of social hotspots in the supply chains of 100 product categories using the social hotspots database
publisher MDPI AG
series Sustainability
issn 2071-1050
publishDate 2014-10-01
description Data collection, or the inventory step, is often the most labor-intensive phase of any Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study. The S-LCA Guidelines and numerous authors have recommended generic assessment in this first phase of an S-LCA. In an effort to identify the social hotspots in the supply chains of 100 product categories during just a few months’ time, adopting a streamlined approach was essential. The Social Hotspots Database system was developed by New Earth over 5 years. It includes a Global Input Output (IO) model derived from the Global Trade Analysis Project, a Worker Hours Model constructed using annual wage payments and wage rates by country and sector, and Social Theme Tables covering 22 themes within five Social Impact Categories—Labor Rights and Decent Work, Health and Safety, Human Rights, Governance and Community Impacts. The data tables identify social risks for over 100 indicators. Both the ranking of worker hour intensity and the risk levels across multiple social themes for the Country Specific Sectors (CSS) within a product category supply chain are used to calculate Social Hotspots Indexes (SHI) using an additive weighting method. The CSS with the highest SHI are highlighted as social hotspots within the supply chain of the product in question. This system was tested in seven case studies in 2011. In order to further limit the number of hotspots, a set of prioritization rules was applied. This paper will review the method implemented to study the social hotspots of the 100 product categories and provide one detailed example. Limitations of the approach and recommended research avenues will be outlined.
topic social life cycle assessment
social footprinting
hotspots assessment
social responsibility
social impacts
supply chain
url http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/6/10/6973
work_keys_str_mv AT catherinebenoitnorris efficientassessmentofsocialhotspotsinthesupplychainsof100productcategoriesusingthesocialhotspotsdatabase
AT gregoryanorris efficientassessmentofsocialhotspotsinthesupplychainsof100productcategoriesusingthesocialhotspotsdatabase
AT deanaaulisio efficientassessmentofsocialhotspotsinthesupplychainsof100productcategoriesusingthesocialhotspotsdatabase
_version_ 1725638073748815872