Abstract
This thesis evaluates the development of the first series of industry sustainability plans (ISPs) in The Netherlands for the period 2015-2017. The ISPs are part of a negotiated agreement between public and private parties that aim to reduce the environmental impact of packaging. The unique and innovative approach assigns a
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particular large role to the private parties in the formulation of the highest achievable goals. Moreover, an independent ‘knowledge institute’ (KIDV) representing both public and private parties’ interests was introduced to support the parties with knowledge and safeguard the quality of the goals. The need for, the design of, the process for developing, and the expected effects of the ISPs are evaluated based on a purpose-built assessment framework containing success factors for this type of agreements. Key sources for the analysis are: interviews, documents and observations.
Challenges in the areas of environmental impact and resource scarcity provide a clear need for increasing the sustainability of packaging that the ISPs aim to achieve. The following contextual factors appear favorable for the development of ISPs:
• Policy climate
• Industries’ markets
• Age of the industries
• Scale and scope of the environmental problem
The design and method for developing ISPs contain the following factors that try to enhance effectiveness of these types of instruments:
• A method leading to well-defined quantitative targets
• Incorporation of driving mechanisms
• Provision of supporting mechanisms
In the first half of 2015, plans covering 70% in packaging volume brought onto the Dutch market are submitted and evaluated by the KIDV. The interviewed parties consider awareness creation and knowledge sharing to be important effects of the ISPs. This is expected to enhance learning and provide insight in critical research areas. These ‘secondary’ effects, identified success factors, and wide coverage, provide substantiation for the potential effectiveness of the ISPs. However, some other success factors for effectiveness are not observed in the context, design, method and process. The ISPs prove to be less suited for some of the selected industries because of specific characteristics that could hamper the performance of the ISPs. Some industries are defined with a large scope, are highly heterogenic, or stated that they have a low environmental saving potential (e.g. because of earlier performance). Moreover, the establishment of an independent business-as-usual-baseline was not observed. Neither a clear description of a detailed monitoring mechanism, nor requirements for monitoring are provided by the method of the KIDV. Therefore, the potential effectiveness of the second series of ISPs (2018-2022) could be further improved by integrating the following:
• Provide an independent business-as-usual scenario to safeguard a measurable and significant improvement;
• Establish a credible monitoring mechanism to prevent freeriding and non-compliance;
• Consider the development of plans for supply chains of sub-industries to increase influence and stimulate innovation
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