Sustainability reports - why are there problems in finding measurement tools?

Question

and what are other key challenges or problems associated with sustainability reports?

Thanks 15 easy points!!

Answer 1

The problem with reports is that they are PR instruments.  At best they skew the sense of the report to the companies successes.  For example, a company that recycled 100% of cardboard and water and reduced energy by 50% would look good on paper.  But they could also be dumping other wastes directly into the river and belching black smoke over a city.  

There are also no good way to measure things.  For example, energy savings of 50% in one company make look good over 25% in another, but if the 25% company uses 100 times more energy, who did the best?

None can agree what sustainability is, much less how to measure it.  You really can only compare companies in the same business and then it gets iffy.