Awareness of the social dimension of sustainable development

Abstract

An assessment of social aspects – however it is carried out – and the inclusion of this dimension in every decision making process is necessary, because decisions concerning external ecological effects always have external social consequences. There are already tried, tested and approved methods and instruments for evaluating the ecological and economic dimensions of activities, projects, developments, products and organisations in terms of their sustainability. However, such methods and instruments are conspicuously lacking when it comes to the social dimension. In order to include social compatibility in planning processes, a tool similar to that of the environmental impact assessment has been developed: the Social Compatibility Analysis SCA.