Impact Compass

In Wallonia, the vast majority of public or private investment plans are not assessed for sustainability before they are implemented. There is currently no common framework to guide a project from the outset.

IMPAct Compass addresses this issue by offering a tool that is:

balanced between scientific rigour and practicality;
collaborative, developed and used on an ongoing basis with project leaders;
based on a systemic life-cycle approach;
capable of identifying both the risks and the adaptability of a project;
decision-oriented, rather than focused on scoring.

Objectives

• To equip Walloon stakeholders from the very outset of their projects.
• To anticipate environmental, social, economic and regulatory risks.
• To create a common language for sustainability and resilience.
• To align projects with Wallonia’s transition objectives from the outset.

The ‘sustainability compass’ supports each project leader through three stages:

• Initial assessment: evaluation of the project leader’s current practices against sustainability criteria.
• Tailored recommendations: proposals for concrete actions adapted to the Walloon context and the project’s objectives.
• Monitoring and continuous improvement: support over five years to measure progress and adjust the sustainability trajectory.

The tool is based on the DMA (double materiality) methodology and life-cycle expertise previously developed by Materia Nova, structured around four areas of analysis:

• Life Cycle Thinking (environmental, social, socio-economic);
• Vulnerability to critical resources;
• Energy and climate risks;
• Regulatory security and governance.

The main deliverable provided to project leaders is the Rapid Resilience Screening Report: a summary of the identified risks and levers, visualisations (risk matrix, scenario comparisons) and strategic recommendations.

Expected impacts

Fewer projects presenting major unforeseen vulnerabilities.
Enhanced economic, social and regional resilience.
A shift from a compliance-based approach to a transformation-based approach.
Greater investment efficiency and better alignment with Wallonia’s sustainable development targets.

The IMPAct Compass project, coordinated by Materia Nova, is supported by the Walloon Region (SPW) as part of the SWDD4 (Walloon Sustainable Development Strategy).

Total project budget (5 years): €453,333
SPW grant (SWDD4): €340,000

Project contact:
Marylise Ledouble
marylise.ledouble@materianova.be
+32 65 554901