Sustainable Innovation | To stabilize in today’s global market is very difficult for any organization, where being very huge competition. For the growth and success of any business may need some extra efforts.
Innovation is one of the ways that helps any business to stand in the market to sale their products with profitability. There is also one of the important demands is maintaining the awareness of the environment as well social impacts of the manufacturing.
Hence, sustainable innovation in any manufacturing unit is becoming more important.
But what mean that?
Sustainable Innovation is?
Sustainable innovation is a set of practices that helps to create innovative products, processes, and technologies for sustainability for environmental, social, and as well economical.
Remember that sustainable innovation can be implemented in manufacturing units in any form: it can be manufacturing processes, procedures, method, technique, or system as well. The aim is to improve the sustainability of a product or even processes.
But how it can be in any form?
Look this:
- If it is a manufacturing process – it uses renewable energy as source.
- Either it is as procedures – it has control measures that reduces waste and increases efficiency.
- In case it is as method – It will be helpful for recycling materials.
- As a technique – it can reduce emissions.
- And as a system – it can track and reduce carbon footprint.
Might now got to know it, sustainable implement appreciably gives outcomes where the manufacturing unit can develop and implement of new ideas, technologies or even practices that take care of environment, society and economically sustainable or business.
List of Principles of sustainable innovation:
- Principle 1: Design for Sustainability
- Principle 2: Lean Manufacturing
- Principle 3: Closed-Loop Manufacturing
- Principle 4: Renewable Energy
- Principle 5: Stakeholder Engagement
- Principle 6: Life Cycle Assessment
- Principle 7: Continuous Improvement
This list of principles of sustainable innovation for manufacturing units is theoretical. I personally have not tested real processes. Same as, I am presenting this list for improvement of knowledge for these particular principles of this subject.
Principle 1: Design for Sustainability
If we want to maintain sustainability in production processes or products, we must first focus on its design, as this is the most important principle for sustainable innovation. In particular, this principle has to include the main structures of the product and its processes. Which completes the life cycle from raw material to sale of goods. Meanwhile processes are also about reducing environmental impacts.
So here are the series of factors in sustainable design, which are as follows:
- Material selection. This is the most important stage. Including an emphasis on choosing materials that are renewable, recycled or have a low environmental impact.
- Energy efficiency. Designing products that consume less energy during production, use and disposal.
- Resource efficiency. Designing products that use less resources, such as water and raw materials.
- End-of-life options. This is a very important point here, meaning that after the product’s creation is complete, it can be easily recycled, reused, or safely disposed of.
It must be understood that a holistic approach to design for sustainability is considered. Product sire life cycle of the product and its production processes, consumption and disposal of the product have to be considered on the impact on the environment, society, and economy.
Principle 2: Lean Manufacturing
As you know, lean manufacturing is an excellent solution for eliminating waste and increasing efficiency in production processes. It also includes Identifying and eliminating non-value-added activities. Particularly it is known to reduce lead times and improve quality.
Lean manufacturing not only improves productivity and efficiency, but also reduces the environmental impact of production.
So here are some examples of lean manufacturing principles that promote sustainability.
- Just-in-time production. The JIT focuses on reducing excess inventory & waste by producing, what and when is only required.
- Total productive maintenance. TPM is a very helpful tool that improves equipment reliability and reduces downtime of equipment. As result the unit can save energy.
- Value stream mapping. It helps to identify and eliminate non-value-added activities.
- Kaizen. This is a helpful tool for continuous improvement of manufacturing processes, improve efficiency, reduce waste, and reduce environmental impact.
When we expect to go with sustainability of processes and innovation techniques to increase the production capability. As well as expecting to reduce environmental, social, and economic impacts, we really need to focus on lean manufacturing too.
Principle 3: Closed-Loop Manufacturing
If you are expecting maximum utilization of your resources, then you have to understand the importance of closed-loop manufacturing.
The aim of this principle is to create a circular economy by reducing waste in the manufacturing processes. Hence, taking the support of this principle may be helpful to designing products / processes, that will help to minimize waste, promote reuse, and recycling.
- Material recycling. Recycling materials from end-of-life products and reusing them in new products.
- Re-manufacturing. Refurbishing used products to extend their useful life and reduce waste.
- Closed-loop supply chain. Designing a supply chain that supports the reuse and recycling of materials.
- Product as a service. Designing products that are leased or rented rather than sold, which encourages manufacturers to keep products in good condition, and can maximize the use of resources.
Closed-loop manufacturing is an important part for sustainable innovation in manufacturing. Because it promotes the efficient use of resources and reduces waste. Which leads to a more sustainable manufacturing process.
Principle 4: Renewable Energy
The word “Renewable energy” is itself describes sustainability. The sources of renewable energy are natural, such as solar, wind, and hydro-power. Without this principle there will be no real concept fulfil. I think there is much require describing about renewable energy because you’ll already know about this. However, how it will be important in the manufacturing? Let’s see:
- On-site renewable energy. If the manufacturing unit uses the solar panels or wind turbines as energy resources for their manufacturing processes it will be renewable energy.
- Green energy procurement. In case any manufacturing purchase energy from any power manufacturing facilities, and that energy provides generating the energy using the renewable sources that will be considered as green energy.
- Energy efficiency improvements. If the manufacturing unit deploys energy efficiency measures to reduce overall energy consumption significantly, it will be considering as renewable energy.
Nowadays, people are using renewable energy as their main source of energy for their daily routines. Because it is not just beneficial for the environment, but it is also reducing the cost at any level.
Principle 5: Stakeholder Engagement
Very first we have to understand who are stakeholders? Stakeholders actually include employees, customers, suppliers, communities, regulators etc. These can actually be directly or indirectly associated with manufacturing processes.
Hence, it is very important to involve in the innovative processes for more improvements.
The involvement of these stockholders are much important, because it may help manufacturers for minimize impact of their products and processes on different groups and identify opportunities for improvement.
Principle 6: Life Cycle Assessment
This is one of the most important principle – Life cycle assessment for reduce environmental impacts. In this principle, the design of the manufacturing processes will take care during their operational cycles to not generate any emissions, waste or even sounds that directly or indirectly impact the environment or harmful for humans.
This is valuable tool for sustainable innovation in manufacturing unit because it helps manufacturing unit to identify the significant environmental impacts of their products / processes. Even it may also help to reduce it from processes.
The systematic approach and the comprehensive evaluation of product / processes are taken on:
- Raw material extraction
- Manufacturing
- Distribution
- Use
- End-of-life disposal.
LCA can help manufacturers identify opportunities to reduce environmental impacts and develop more sustainable products and processes.
Principle 7: Continuous Improvement
When we are talking about continuous improvement, that does not mean we are only focusing on the increase manufacturing efficiency or productivity.
Continuous improvement also involves constantly evaluating and improving the processes. These efforts will reduce waste and minimize the environmental impacts.
What things that you can include in continuous improvement that achieve desire goals:
- Regular performance monitoring and reporting
- Setting sustainability goals and targets
- Conducting regular audits and reviews
- Implementing best practices and bench-marking against industry standards
- Encouraging innovation and creativity.
It is actually a fundamental principle for sustainable innovation in manufacturing.
Conclusion
Nowadays, sustainable innovation being necessity for manufacturing processes. Hence, by adopting these principles in regular processes can help manufacturers maintain sustainability, reduce wastes, emissions, and environmental impacts.