Report (Part 4): Sustainable Development Convention 2002

CONTOUR: Health & Safety

Time: 30 October 2002, 16:00-17:00 Location: Salle C1 Presenters/ Participants: Andrew Dick, CBI, Matias Gelber Reporter: Kyle Cranmer (ICVolunteers) Languages: English Key words: Benchmark, Contour, CBI, Environment, Health and Safety, Risk Management

Contour is an industry-driven environment, health and safety (EHS) benchmarking tool which offers a unique benchmarking methodology extensible to the area of sustainable development. The hallmarks of Contour are that it is based on self-assessment, consensus, and relative performance indicators.

CBI (the Confederation of British Industry) is the largest business consortium in the United Kingdom. CBI has developed Contour, an industry-driven environment, health and safety (EHS) benchmarking tool which gives companies immediate feedback on their management, processes and performance under eight key areas of environment, health and safety. Contour is based on a 99-question self-assessment questionnaire which is completed by consensus among twelve representatives from management, middle management, union representation, and a facilitator from CBI. 

To avoid the standard pitfalls of benchmarking systems, Contour is not based on absolute performance indicators, but instead on relative performance indicators. This allows for comparison across sectors and avoids bias that arises from the inclusion or exclusion of contractors and supply chain considerations. The final Contour benchmark is not a single number, but a point on a plane given by a performance index and a practice index. Ideally, a company will have both high performance and practice indexes. In contrast, a company with a high performance index and low practice index is not considered to have a sustainable performance level. A company's benchmark can then be compared to over 250 existing benchmarks broken down by sector.

The analysis of the benchmarking procedure is carried out during a three hour summary in which the facilitator navigates the complex issues. Mr. Gelber emphasized that the Contour assessment is industry driven and helps management prioritize the many EHS issues at hand. The Contour benchmark can be interpreted as a Key Performance Indicator or used for Risk Management.

Surprising Issues
Because the Contour system is based on relative performance indicators, it is not bound to a particular data gathering system. Mr Gelber pointed this out in response to an audience member's observation that the data collection system is the most expensive part of the benchmarking process. How to correctly extend any benchmark to a company's supply chain is a very difficult question. The practicalities of gathering the relevant information and the scope of the supply chain was discussed by the audience and presenters for some time.

Interesting Questions
An audience member considered two cases: one in which a company had a below average benchmark, and a second in which a company had an above average benchmark. While it is clear that in the first case a company will be motivated to improve, the audience member suggested that in the second case the company might ask itself "how much above average should we be?" He went on to ask if a high benchmark might actually be a disincentive to the company's practice. Mr. Gelber pointed out that the Contour system offered more than a single benchmark, and that in the more detailed analysis the management would be able to prioritize among those areas that need improvement.

Conclusions
The Contour benchmarking system offers an industry-driven EHS analysis of a company based on relative performance indicators. Contour offers many ideas for the extension of the EHS benchmark to areas of sustainable development.