The Sustainability Consortium was established in 2009 to create a standardized measurement and reporting system to quantify and communicate sustainability in consumer products supply chains. The Sustainability Measurement and Reporting System (SMRS) launched in 2011 is used to research and report empirical data on consumer goods. The intern gained experience contributing to product category dossiers in the SMRS database, providing insights into addressing sustainability challenges in global supply chains.

1. Internship Learning at The Sustainability Consortium
Michelle Beckmann
Capstone Experience for Minor in Sustainability
What is Being Done to Sustainability Measurement Life Cycle Analysis Sustainability
Address Sustainability and Reporting System Contributions
Managed Systems:
within the Global Supply
The Consortium concentrates on promoting Life
Chain Network? Cycle Management throughout the Supply Chain
system with intent to reduce the Carbon footprint
of doing business, promote Sustainable
Consumption, Conserve Resources, Promote
Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production and
lay the foundation for Innovation.
Natural Systems:
• The Sustainability Consortium was
The Consortium addresses Life Cycle Inputs
established in 2009 with the goal of creating a
such as energy, water, herbicides, pesticides,
standardized measurement and reporting
manure, and equipment as well as Outputs such
system that will help quantify and •SMRS was launched in July 2011 as GHG emissions, runoff, land occupation,
communicate the sustainability of consumer Research Assistant and Knowledge Base Editor
waste, solid waste, waste water, and fossil fuel
products. •SMRS is the framework used to research Personal Research & Contributions to SMRS: combustion. Also, addressed is how individual
• The Sustainability Consortium is dually and report empirical data for consumer consumer products or categories are contributing
goods. Within SMRS is a collaborative style •Product Category Dossiers with most emphasis
administered by the University of Arkansas’ to Climate Change, Eutrophication, Acidity and
database that houses Life Cycle Analysis for on Food, Beverage and Agriculture Categories
Applied Sustainability Center (Walton College Toxicity when it comes to Pollutants of the
of Business) and the University of Arizona’s individual consumer goods. •Introduction Narratives Environment.
Global Institute of Sustainability but consists •Product Category Supply Chain Descriptions Social Systems:
of over 75 members including suppliers, •Each consumer product is given a page
and/or Edits
within the Knowledge Base (SMRS database) The Consortium is addressing Social Issues
manufacturers and retailers as well as Bananas
entitled Category Dossier which further leads throughout the supply chain network by reporting
Government and Non-government agencies, Beans (Legumes) issues such as Worker’s Health and Safety, Safe
including Wal-Mart, Disney, Cargill, Tyson, to Category Sustainability Profile.
Beef and Healthy Living Conditions, Social Benefits,
Dell and many more. Social Security and Contribution to the
• In the present time The Sustainability Sweet Corn
• The ongoing collaborative effort of TSC will Economic Development of communities. Other
Consortium is diligently working on the Citrus
provide accountability, transparency, and more social issues that may be reported/addressed
Level 1 agenda which will lay the foundation Coffee
include Child Labor, Suicide Tendencies, Fair
informed decisions makers when dealing with for the Level 2 goals in development (see Cotton treatment, and Education and Training.
the supply chain system and consumer goods. diagram above) .  Fish
Capstone Experience Soybeans Reflections
•Each Category Dossier (SMRS) includes the
Field Corn
following: Working with The Sustainability Consortium gave
My time spent as a Research Assistant and Sorghum
•Introduction me real insight into what it is going to take to
Editor to TSC’s Sustainability Measurement
•Category Descriptions (definition, Canned Soup address Sustainability within the Supply Chain.
and Reporting System database allowed direct Baby Formula “Our vision is to advance There is a real opportunity to make an impact on
variations, exclusions, functions, units
access to the dossiers of the Life Cycle science to drive a new the world if we continue to move forward with
measured). Pet Food
Analysis of the top 100 consumer products generation of innovative sustainable practices from farm, factory, logistics,
•Tables of Life Cycle Inputs and Outputs Frozen Meals
currently being researched by the Consortium. products and supply distribution, retail and consumer.
•Environmental and Social Hotspots Potatoes networks that address
This gave me the opportunity to contribute to
•Potential Improvement Opportunities Rice environmental, social, I am unbelievably thankful for the opportunity to
this ambitious movement towards
(Performance indicators) and economic have experience, knowledge and understanding in
sustainability within our supply chain Seed Oil
•Discussion imperatives.”~ TSC the field of Sustainability thanks to this program!
networks. And more!
This poster was prepared in partial fulfillment of SUST 4103 Sustainability Capstone
Images courtesy of thesustainabilityconsortium.com