Glossary: I-P (22 terms)

INCLUSIONARY OR POSITIVE SCREENING

Criteria required of companies (which have not been eliminated in the negative screening) if they are to be considered responsible in indices or in certain funds.

INCLUSIVITY

A basic AA1000 Standard principle that refers to participation by an organisation's stakeholders in developing and achieving an accountable and strategic response to sustainability.

INDICATOR

A qualitative or quantitative variable that allows us to measure the conduct or performance of an organisation, and its compliance with preset goals and milestones. Core indicator: Of obligatory use in publishing a report based on GRI guidelines. Additional indicator: Advocated by the GRI Guidelines, though its use is at the discretion of the reporting organisation.

INNOVATION

Application of new ideas, concepts, products, services and practices in useful ways that enhance productivity.

ISO 14001

International standard laying down specifications for an Environmental Management System conducive to ongoing improvement in an organisation’s environmental performance, legal compliance and environmental protection and pollution control practices.

ISO 27002

Information security standard. In origin it drew on British Standard BS 7799-1.

ISO 9001

International standard laying down specifications for a Quality Management System that strives to maximise customer satisfaction through a process of continuous improvement.

KYOTO PROTOCOL

International agreement aimed at reducing emissions of the gases responsible for global warming.

LOPD

(Ley Oficial de Protección de Datos): the Spanish personal data protection law, designed to uphold and protect the civic freedoms and fundamental rights of individuals with regard to the handling of their personal data.

MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

The systematising of processes and procedures to ensure that an organisation takes all the necessary steps towards achieving its objectives.

MATERIAL ISSUE

An issue that will influence the decisions, actions and performance of an organisation or its stakeholders.

MATERIALITY

A basic AA1000 standard principle that consists in determining the relevance and significance of an issue for the organisation and its stakeholders.

MiFID

Markets in Financial Instruments Directives, introducing a single market and common regulatory framework for financial services in the 27 European Union Member States and in three other countries belonging to the European Economic Area (Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein).

MISSION

A statement of why an organisation exists and its fundamental purposes. It provides a fundamental unifying focus and guide for long-term action to achieve the ultimate purpose for which the organisation was founded.

OPINION MAKER

Person or group with the capacity to shape opinion on and demand for a given company product.

OZONE DEPLETING AGENTS

The gases that deplete the ozone layer include chlorofluorocarbon compounds (CFCs), other totally halogenated chlorofluorocarbons, halons, carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethane, methyl bromide, hydrobromofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and bromochloromethane. The main instrument for their control is the Montreal Protocol.

PHYSICAL ACCESSIBILITY

Elimination of architectural barriers and physical obstacles that can hinder people with disabilities in their access to services and/or basic mobility.

POLICY

Statement of an organisation’s intentions and guiding principles with regard to some aspect of its conduct, expressed formally by its senior management.

PREVENTION OF OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS

Set of activities or measures implemented or planned across all phases of a company’s activity with the goal of preventing or reducing occupational hazards.

PROCESS

A sequence of activities and contributions which progressively add value on the way to producing a product or service.

PROJECT FINANCE

A mechanism for financing large-scale investments secured by the project’s capacity to generate future cashflows to repay the loans and by agreements between the participants that assure the project's profitability.