Cleaner production practices are increasingly used in industrial applications. These numerous and various practices generate multiple benefits. However, the overall impact resulting from their implementation on the company cannot be easily apprehended. A methodology providing a global management approach is proposed, in order to help corporate managers in setting up cleaner and safer production practices and in the assessment of the impacts related to their implementation. A Cleaner and Safer Production (CSP) process is also obtained through this approach. This methodology has been developed into the metal finishing industry. The structure of the methodology for assessment of CSP practices impacts is based on a 4 level tree (system, subsystems, criteria, indicators). It was developed through a systemic (MADS model) and functional analysis of the industrial establishment. The criteria were weighted by the use of a multi-criteria analysis method (AHP). The 15 CSP criteria identified are the foundation of two distinct but complementary methods developed in this methodology: - A CSP practices' impacts diagnosis method, which helps to take the situation into account, to support decision making, and to measure progress after cleaner production practice implementation. For that purpose, the method relies on the use of 38 CSP indicators, feeding the 15 previously defined criteria. - A CSP practices decision aid method which highlights, in a panel of 86 practices identified into the metal finishing BREF, these that are best suited to the company by using the multi-criteria analysis method (ELECTRE I).
