Scope of Impact

During an impact analysis and definition phase it is a good practice to describe the scope of the impact. Below you will find an explanations and examples to take into account, when appropriate.

Scope of Impact

1. Geographical Scope:

• Definition: The specific locations or regions affected by the impact.
• Examples: Local community, regional environment, national economy, or global ecosystem.
• Consideration: Determines if the impact is limited to a specific area or spans multiple locations.

2. Temporal Scope:

• Definition: The timeframe during which the impact occurs or is expected to occur.
• Examples: Immediate, short-term, medium-term, or long-term effects.
• Consideration: Helps to understand the duration of the impact and whether it is a one-time event or an ongoing issue.

3. Operational Scope:

• Definition: The specific activities, processes, or functions of the organization affected by the impact.
• Examples: Manufacturing processes, supply chain logistics, product development, or customer service.
• Consideration: Defines which parts of the organization’s operations are involved or impacted.

4. Stakeholder Scope:

• Definition: The groups or individuals who are affected by or have a stake in the impact.
• Examples: Employees, customers, suppliers, local communities, investors.
• Consideration: Identifies who is influenced by the impact and how different stakeholders are affected.

5. Environmental Scope:

• Definition: The specific environmental elements or systems impacted by the activities or decisions.
• Examples: Air quality, water resources, land use, biodiversity.
• Consideration: Focuses on how environmental factors are affected by or contribute to the impact.

6. Social Scope:

• Definition: The social dimensions or communities affected by the impact.
• Examples: Public health, labor conditions, community relations, social equity.
• Consideration: Looks at how societal aspects are influenced, including community well-being and social justice.

7. Economic Scope:

• Definition: The economic effects or financial implications of the impact.
• Examples: Revenue changes, cost implications, economic growth, financial stability.
• Consideration: Evaluates the economic significance of the impact on the organization and its stakeholders.

8. Regulatory Scope:

• Definition: The legal and regulatory frameworks that define or influence the impact.
• Examples: Environmental regulations, labor laws, industry standards.
• Consideration: Assesses compliance with legal requirements and the impact of regulatory changes.

9. Value Chain Scope:

• Definition: The segments of the value chain where the impact is observed.
• Examples: Raw material sourcing, production, distribution, end-of-life disposal.
• Consideration: Determines which stages of the value chain are involved in or affected by the impact.

Example Table for Scope of Impact

Scope Dimension	Definition	Examples	Considerations
Geographical	Specific locations affected by the impact	Local, regional, national, global	Determines the area of impact
Temporal	Timeframe of the impact’s occurrence	Immediate, short-term, medium-term, long-term	Understands the duration and timing of impacts
Operational	Organizational activities or processes affected	Manufacturing, supply chain, R&D	Focuses on specific functions or processes
Stakeholder	Groups or individuals affected by the impact	Employees, customers, local communities	Identifies affected parties and their concerns
Environmental	Environmental elements or systems affected	Air quality, water resources, land use	Assesses environmental impacts and factors
Social	Social dimensions or communities affected	Public health, labor conditions, community relations	Looks at societal impacts and equity issues
Economic	Financial implications or economic effects	Revenue, costs, economic growth, financial stability	Evaluates economic significance of the impact
Regulatory	Legal and regulatory frameworks relevant to the impact	Environmental regulations, labor laws	Assesses compliance and regulatory influence
Value Chain	Stages of the value chain where the impact is observed	Sourcing, production, distribution, disposal	Identifies the stages of impact in the value chain

By defining these scopes, organizations can ensure a comprehensive and structured approach to understanding and managing impacts.

Best Practices for Defining Scope

• Clarity: Ensure that the scope is clearly defined and communicated to avoid misunderstandings.
• Relevance: Focus on the most relevant dimensions for the specific impact being assessed.
• Consistency: Apply consistent criteria across different impacts for comparability and coherence.
• Flexibility: Adapt the scope as necessary to reflect changing conditions or new information.