The SAM Themes

The SAM is made up of 25 elements looking at how sustainability is integrated within an organisation. These elements are divided into three separate themes:

Strategic Integration
A demonstration of effective strategic integration of sustainable development within the organisation helps show the level of commitment and understanding of sustainability. The SAM looks for more than just a statement of commitment to sustainability within a corporate plan. At this level is looks at how the organisation is implementing sustainable development via its corporate planning structures, through its directorates and via the services is provides. The SAM does this by reviewing policies, documentation, actions, behaviours and attitudes to Sustainable Development displayed by interviewees.

Internal Cross-Cutting Integration
Effective internal integration of Sustainable Development is displayed via internal procedures and how an organisation goes about its business. This section of the SAM looks at internal procedures within the organisation and reviews how effective these procedures are at integration SD into the culture of an organisation.

External Operational Integration
Sustainable development should be integrated though all element of the organisation from corporate planning down to on the ground operations. Part three of the SAM looks at how an organisation uses its functions to help integrate Sustainable Development. The SAM looks at each of the functions within the organisation and identifies where sustainability fits.

The diagram below is to demonstrate how sustainable development fits within an organisation's existing activities.