The JARGONFREE Compass Scorecard
The Compass Scorecard provides a structured way to assess how sustainability-related commitments and requirements currently operate across contracts and supply chains and how a company may gradually strengthen its implementation pathways over time.
| Dimension | Inactive | Reactive | Proactive | Transformative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attitudes | No awareness. “This does not concern us.” | Sustainable contracting is addressed mainly in response to external requirements or practical problems. | Sustainable contracting is integrated into management systems and day-to-day decision-making. | Sustainable contracting is used strategically to support improvement, collaboration, and long-term change. |
Relevant Compass content: As a starting point for improvement, Module II ‘Contracts as drivers of sustainability’ introduces the stepping stones for a contracting strategy. Relevant Compass content: As a starting point for improvement, Module II ‘Contracts as drivers of sustainability’ introduces the stepping stones for a contracting strategy. Relevant Compass content: As a starting point for improvement, Module II ‘Contracts as drivers of sustainability’ introduces the stepping stones for a contracting strategy. Relevant Compass content: As a starting point for improvement, Module II ‘Contracts as drivers of sustainability’ introduces the stepping stones for a contracting strategy. | ||||
| Relevance | No sustainability-related content, or it is ignored. | Generic, copy-pasted clauses with limited relevance or operational value. | Commitments and requirements are tailored to identified risks, relationships, and implementation needs. | Commitments and requirements are outcome-oriented, context-specific, and co-created across the supply chain where appropriate. |
Relevant Compass content: What does sustainability-related content say or not say and does it provide sufficient support and guidance for action? See ‘Problem 1. Missing or generic content’). ‘Solution 1: From missing or generic to explicit and actionable content’ shows how to make such content explicit and actionable, so that it can guide decisions and behaviour in practice. Relevant Compass content: What does sustainability-related content say or not say and does it provide sufficient support and guidance for action? See ‘Problem 1. Missing or generic content’). ‘Solution 1: From missing or generic to explicit and actionable content’ shows how to make such content explicit and actionable, so that it can guide decisions and behaviour in practice. Relevant Compass content: What does sustainability-related content say or not say and does it provide sufficient support and guidance for action? See ‘Problem 1. Missing or generic content’). ‘Solution 1: From missing or generic to explicit and actionable content’ shows how to make such content explicit and actionable, so that it can guide decisions and behaviour in practice. Relevant Compass content: What does sustainability-related content say or not say and does it provide sufficient support and guidance for action? See ‘Problem 1. Missing or generic content’). ‘Solution 1: From missing or generic to explicit and actionable content’ shows how to make such content explicit and actionable, so that it can guide decisions and behaviour in practice. | ||||
| Architecture | Content is missing, scattered, or difficult to locate. | Content exists but is fragmented across documents with limited visibility and weak connections to practice. | Content is organised and connected across the contract stack, with attention to where decisions and actions take place. | Content is aligned across contracts, functions, and relationships, supporting coordinated action and implementation across the supply chain. |
Relevant Compass content: Contract architecture, the way sustainability-related information is structured, connected, and organised across contract documents can limit their effectiveness. See ‘Problem 2. Hidden, misaligned, or misplaced content’). ‘Solution 2: From hidden, misaligned, or misplaced to structured and aligned content’ helps identify abstract, fragmented, or disconnected sustainability-related content, and to strengthen it to guide action. Relevant Compass content: Contract architecture, the way sustainability-related information is structured, connected, and organised across contract documents can limit their effectiveness. See ‘Problem 2. Hidden, misaligned, or misplaced content’). ‘Solution 2: From hidden, misaligned, or misplaced to structured and aligned content’ helps identify abstract, fragmented, or disconnected sustainability-related content, and to strengthen it to guide action. Relevant Compass content: Contract architecture, the way sustainability-related information is structured, connected, and organised across contract documents can limit their effectiveness. See ‘Problem 2. Hidden, misaligned, or misplaced content’). ‘Solution 2: From hidden, misaligned, or misplaced to structured and aligned content’ helps identify abstract, fragmented, or disconnected sustainability-related content, and to strengthen it to guide action. Relevant Compass content: Contract architecture, the way sustainability-related information is structured, connected, and organised across contract documents can limit their effectiveness. See ‘Problem 2. Hidden, misaligned, or misplaced content’). ‘Solution 2: From hidden, misaligned, or misplaced to structured and aligned content’ helps identify abstract, fragmented, or disconnected sustainability-related content, and to strengthen it to guide action. | ||||
| Language & design | Unclear language, jargon, poor structure. | Limited attention to contract clarity, usability, or implementation. | Contract content and communication are structured to support action and implementation. | Clear, accessible, and actionable contract communication supports implementation, collaboration, and effective use in practice. |
Relevant Compass content: Even when sustainability-related clauses are present and properly placed, they may still fail if they are difficult to understand and use. See ‘Problem 3. Complex or unclear communication’). ‘Solution 3: From complex or unclear to clear and actionable communication’ looks at plain language, information design, and contract design patterns as one part of a broader implementation pathway. Relevant Compass content: Even when sustainability-related clauses are present and properly placed, they may still fail if they are difficult to understand and use. See ‘Problem 3. Complex or unclear communication’). ‘Solution 3: From complex or unclear to clear and actionable communication’ looks at plain language, information design, and contract design patterns as one part of a broader implementation pathway. Relevant Compass content: Even when sustainability-related clauses are present and properly placed, they may still fail if they are difficult to understand and use. See ‘Problem 3. Complex or unclear communication’). ‘Solution 3: From complex or unclear to clear and actionable communication’ looks at plain language, information design, and contract design patterns as one part of a broader implementation pathway. Relevant Compass content: Even when sustainability-related clauses are present and properly placed, they may still fail if they are difficult to understand and use. See ‘Problem 3. Complex or unclear communication’). ‘Solution 3: From complex or unclear to clear and actionable communication’ looks at plain language, information design, and contract design patterns as one part of a broader implementation pathway. | ||||
| Feasibility & realism | Sustainability-related content is disconnected from business reality (e.g. pricing, timelines, capabilities). | Some alignment, but gaps remain between sustainability-related requirements and operational realities. | Sustainability-related content is aligned with roles, capabilities, resources, operational realities and implementation needs. | Sustainability-related content is realistically calibrated and aligned with business models, relationships, and continuous improvement across the supply chain. |
Relevant Compass content: Even when sustainability-related content is relevant, visible, and clearly expressed, it may still fail if it is not feasible or is disconnected from operational and commercial realities. See ‘Problem 4: Unfeasible or unrealistic requirements’). ‘Solution 4: From unfeasible or unrealistic to feasible and realistic requirements’ introduces measures that help transform sustainability requirements from “words on paper” into feasible and realistic practices. Relevant Compass content: Even when sustainability-related content is relevant, visible, and clearly expressed, it may still fail if it is not feasible or is disconnected from operational and commercial realities. See ‘Problem 4: Unfeasible or unrealistic requirements’). ‘Solution 4: From unfeasible or unrealistic to feasible and realistic requirements’ introduces measures that help transform sustainability requirements from “words on paper” into feasible and realistic practices. Relevant Compass content: Even when sustainability-related content is relevant, visible, and clearly expressed, it may still fail if it is not feasible or is disconnected from operational and commercial realities. See ‘Problem 4: Unfeasible or unrealistic requirements’). ‘Solution 4: From unfeasible or unrealistic to feasible and realistic requirements’ introduces measures that help transform sustainability requirements from “words on paper” into feasible and realistic practices. Relevant Compass content: Even when sustainability-related content is relevant, visible, and clearly expressed, it may still fail if it is not feasible or is disconnected from operational and commercial realities. See ‘Problem 4: Unfeasible or unrealistic requirements’). ‘Solution 4: From unfeasible or unrealistic to feasible and realistic requirements’ introduces measures that help transform sustainability requirements from “words on paper” into feasible and realistic practices. | ||||
| Action & implementation | Responsibilities and follow-up are unclear or absent; contracts are hardly used in practice. | Responsibilities and follow-up are partial or reactive; contracts are used inconsistently in practice. | Responsibilities, workflows, and follow-up mechanisms are connected to implementation practices. | Contracts are embedded into organisational practice, actively used, monitored, and continuously improved across the supply chain. |
Relevant Compass content: Unclear ownership and lacking integration into organisational practices and workflows across the company are some of the most common reasons why otherwise well-designed requirements fail in everyday operations. See ‘Problem 5. Unassigned responsibility’ and ‘Problem 6: Not embedded in practice’. ‘Solution 5: From unassigned to owned and supported responsibility’ and ‘Solution 6: From not embedded to embedded in practice’ introduce pathways to tackle these issues – not least including this very scorecard as a tool for analysis and action. Relevant Compass content: Unclear ownership and lacking integration into organisational practices and workflows across the company are some of the most common reasons why otherwise well-designed requirements fail in everyday operations. See ‘Problem 5. Unassigned responsibility’ and ‘Problem 6: Not embedded in practice’. ‘Solution 5: From unassigned to owned and supported responsibility’ and ‘Solution 6: From not embedded to embedded in practice’ introduce pathways to tackle these issues – not least including this very scorecard as a tool for analysis and action. Relevant Compass content: Unclear ownership and lacking integration into organisational practices and workflows across the company are some of the most common reasons why otherwise well-designed requirements fail in everyday operations. See ‘Problem 5. Unassigned responsibility’ and ‘Problem 6: Not embedded in practice’. ‘Solution 5: From unassigned to owned and supported responsibility’ and ‘Solution 6: From not embedded to embedded in practice’ introduce pathways to tackle these issues – not least including this very scorecard as a tool for analysis and action. Relevant Compass content: Unclear ownership and lacking integration into organisational practices and workflows across the company are some of the most common reasons why otherwise well-designed requirements fail in everyday operations. See ‘Problem 5. Unassigned responsibility’ and ‘Problem 6: Not embedded in practice’. ‘Solution 5: From unassigned to owned and supported responsibility’ and ‘Solution 6: From not embedded to embedded in practice’ introduce pathways to tackle these issues – not least including this very scorecard as a tool for analysis and action. | ||||
The Scorecard helps you reflect on how approaches to sustainable contracting differ across the key scorecard dimensions:
- attitudes
- relevance
- architecture
- language & design
- feasibility & realism, and
- action & implementation.
The four approaches introduced in the Scorecard – inactive, reactive, proactive and transformative – describe different ways in which contracts may be used to support sustainability across organisations and supply chains. Where sustainability-related content remains absent, fragmented, or disconnected from organizational practice, companies may face increasing legal, operational, commercial, and reputational risks.
The proactive and transformative approaches align closely with proactive contract thinking, where contracts are approached not only as legal safeguards, but also as practical tools for guiding collaboration, implementation, coordinated action, and the achievement of sustainability goals. Contract design, information design, and plain language support this shift by helping make commitments and requirements clearer, more actionable, and easier to embed into organisational practice.
Different functions, business units, product categories, or supply chain relationships within the same company may reflect different approaches across the scorecard dimensions. Likewise, implementation and embedding may vary across dimensions within the same organisational context.
Progress in practice
Progress from one approach to another typically happens gradually. Focus first on areas of highest risk, and over time strengthen how contracts are structured, expressed, aligned, and embedded in practice.
The steps below illustrate a general implementation pathway from sustainability-related contract content towards action and embedded organisational practice.
Moving forward may involve gradual shifts:
- from inactive approaches where sustainability-related content is absent or largely invisible,
- towards reactive and proactive approaches, where problems are addressed more proactively and prevented where possible, and where commitments and requirements become clearer, more actionable, and more capable of guiding implementation in day-to-day work,
- and ultimately towards more transformative approaches, where contracts are embedded into organisational practice and used to support collaboration, continuous improvement, and long-term impact across the supply chain.
The problem patterns identified in Module III and the implementation-oriented solutions introduced in this Module support these shifts. Together, they help make sustainability visible, strengthen implementation, and support a more coordinated and effective use of contracts across the organisation and supply chains.
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