ENVIRONMENTAL BENCHMARKING FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES

This paper is an attempt to clarify and present the many definitions of benchmarking. It also attempts to explain the basic steps of benchmarking, to show how this tool can be applied by local authorities as well as to discuss its potential benefits and limitations. It is our strong belief that if cities use indicators and progressively introduce targets to improve management and related urban life quality, and to measure progress towards more sustainable development, we will also create a new type of competition among cities and foster innovation. This is seen to be important because local authorities’ actions play a vital role in responding to the challenges of enhancing the state of the environment not only in policy-making, but also in the provision of services and in the planning process. Local communities therefore need to be aware of their own sustainability performance levels and should be able to engage in exchange of best practices to respond effectively to the eco-economical challenges of the century.innovation, performance, benchmarking, local authorities and sustainable development

CSR BENCHMARKING IN THE ROMANIAN BUSINESS AND ACADEMIC SECTOR OF CLUJ-NAPOCA REGION

The challenge of the present article was to create an index or otherwise a database of CSR contributions that can be quantified and which should clarify the position of a company on the ladder of CSR, and also would enhance the comparability of efforts undertaken by socially responsible companies an institutions. 22 CSR aspects were taken into consideration concerning the interests of the banking sector, the commercial and academic sector, from Cluj-Napoca region, Romania. The benchmarking analysis took into consideration CSR aspects such as economical, environmental and social sustainability, the three pillars of sustainable development. The CSR aspects referred to all the stakeholders involved in those three sectors: employees, suppliers, costumers, community, shareholders and competitors

ENVIRONMENTAL BENCHMARKING FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES

This paper is an attempt to clarify and present the many definitions ofbenchmarking. It also attempts to explain the basic steps of benchmarking, toshow how this tool can be applied by local authorities as well as to discuss itspotential benefits and limitations. It is our strong belief that if cities useindicators and progressively introduce targets to improve management andrelated urban life quality, and to measure progress towards more sustainabledevelopment, we will also create a new type of competition among cities andfoster innovation. This is seen to be important because local authorities’actions play a vital role in responding to the challenges of enhancing thestate of the environment not only in policy-making, but also in the provision ofservices and in the planning process. Local communities therefore need tobe aware of their own sustainability performance levels and should be able toengage in exchange of best practices to respond effectively to the ecoeconomicalchallenges of the century