Group Note Draft: Web Sustainability Guidelines (WSG) Impact Ratings

The Sustainable Web Interest Group has published the first draft of a Group Note titled Web Sustainability Guidelines (WSG) Impact Ratings. The Web Sustainability Guidelines (WSG ) Impact Measurement resource defines a framework for assessing the impact of WSG guidelines across three categories: people, planet, and prosperity. Each guideline is assigned an impact rating (indeterminate, low, medium, or high) and a timeframe (short, medium, or long) indicating when the impact is expected to be observed.

These inputs are used to calculate an impact score for each guideline. The score helps organisations compare guidelines and prioritise actions based on relative impact and timeframe. Higher scores indicate higher impact achieved over a shorter timeframe. The resulting scores are included in the resource.

Where quantitative measurement is not possible, ratings are based on available research and expert input. Each guideline includes a rationale for its ratings and timeframe, and where appropriate, suggested metrics to support evaluation.