BOD

Abbreviation with 2 meanings

BOD
Stands forBiochemical oxygen demand
Meanings2
CategoriesScience & Engineering, Business & Finance
Also writtenBoD

BOD has two meanings. It stands for Biochemical oxygen demand (environmental) or Board of directors (management & strategy).

Meanings of BOD at a glance

#BOD stands forContext
1Biochemical oxygen demandScience & Engineering › Environmental
2Board of directorsBusiness & Finance › Management & Strategy

1. Biochemical oxygen demand

Science & Engineering · Environmental Abbreviations

Amount of dissolved oxygen that microorganisms consume while breaking down organic matter in a water sample, usually measured over five days at 20 °C (BOD5). High BOD indicates heavy organic pollution, such as sewage or food-processing waste, that can strip oxygen from rivers.

Example: Treated effluent must not exceed a monthly average BOD of 30 mg/L under the plant's permit.

The five-day test dates from Britain's Royal Commission on Sewage Disposal in the early 1900s, which reportedly chose it because no British river takes longer than about five days to reach the sea. Raw domestic sewage typically has a BOD of a few hundred milligrams per liter. In business BOD means board of directors.

2. Board of directors (BoD)

Business & Finance · Management & Strategy Abbreviations

Elected body that oversees a corporation on behalf of shareholders: it appoints and supervises the CEO, approves strategy and major transactions, declares dividends and sets executive pay. Boards of large US public companies typically have around 9 to 12 members, most of them independent.

Example: The BoD approved a $2 billion share buyback and a 5 percent dividend increase at Tuesday's meeting.

Also written BOD or simply "the board." Many European countries use a two-tier system that separates a management board from a supervisory board; Germany's Aufsichtsrat is the best-known example. Key board committees are usually audit, compensation (remuneration) and nominating or governance.

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  • BECCS – Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage
  • BREEAM – Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method
  • CCS – Carbon capture and storage
  • CCUS – Carbon capture, utilization and storage
  • CDR – Carbon dioxide removal
  • CERCLA – Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

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More management & strategy abbreviations

  • BCP – Business continuity plan
  • BD – Business development
  • BHAG – Big hairy audacious goal
  • BI – Business intelligence
  • BPM – Business process management
  • BPO – Business process outsourcing
  • BPR – Business process reengineering
  • BRD – Business requirements document

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