Page 402 - Design for Environment A Guide to Sustainable Product Development

Glossary 377

Compost Material formed by decomposition of organic wastes that can be
used as a soil conditioner or mulch.
Concurrent engineering A product development practice in which different
engineering disciplines work in a parallel, coordinated fashion to address life-
cycle requirements, including quality, manufacturability, reliability, maintain-
ability, safety, and sustainability. (Also known as simultaneous engineering.)
Continuous improvement An ongoing effort to improve the measurable
performance of products, services or processes, usually based on the “Plan,
Do, Check, Act” cycle.
Corporate citizenship Company activities concerned with treating the
stake holders of the firm ethically and in a socially responsible manner.
Corporate governance The system of oversight, including a Board of Direc-
tors, whereby a corporation maintains accountability for protecting the
interests of shareholders and other stakeholders.

Corporate social responsibility Commitment to uphold the rights of citizens
and communities, behave according to accepted ethical standards, and
contribute to socio-economic development and quality of life.
Cost-benefit analysis Comparison of the costs and benefits associated with
alternative plans, designs, or investments, for purposes of decision making.
Cradle-to-cradle Scope of a product life cycle that extends from raw mate -
rial acquisition through recovery and renewal of the product residuals at
end-of-life.
Cradle-to-gate Scope of a product life cycle that extends from raw material
acquisition through final manufacturing (the factory gate).
Cradle-to-grave Scope of a product life cycle that extends from raw material
acquisition through disposition of the product at end-of-life.
Design for environment Systematic consideration of design performance
with respect to environmental, health, safety, and sustainability objectives
over the full product and process life cycle.
Dioxins A family of chlorinated compounds known as halogenated aro -
matic hydrocarbons. Dioxins are by-products of certain combustion and
manufacturing processes, and are generally considered to pose risks of
chronic effects.
Discounted cash flow Analysis of future cash flows multiplied by discount
factors to obtain present values.
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) A
financial indicator used to analyze profitability of operations.
Eco-effectiveness Characteristic of life-cycle product/service systems that
leads to progressive improvements in environmental and economic well
being.
Eco-efficiency Delivery of valuable goods and services that satisfy human
needs while progressively reducing life-cycle environmental impacts and