Developing environmentally friendly products and services

Question 1

Handfield et al. (2001)

Answer 1

Studied eco-design practices of 12 companies (all seen as eco- design leaders in the US).
They were found to be simply complying with what they understood to be requirements. Rather than incorporating environmental considerations into their process of product innovation, the environment was seen as a constraint on decision making.

Question 2

Deutz et al., 2010

Answer 2

Many eco-design tools, such as life cycle analysis (LCA), are effectively decision tools providing convergence in the design process.

Question 3

Deutz et al., 2012

Answer 3

• Large companies are significantly more likely than others to design for energy consumption in production, waste/pollution and hazardous materials. Significantly, these issues are tied to the environmental performance of the manufacturer, more than to the performance/disposal of the product
• A large company may have greater resources, but designers may not elect, or know how, or be able to convince management, to apply them to eco-design.
• Regulations are important to strengthen the arguments of designers both internally and to combat/strengthen consumer preferences.

Question 4

A typical design process is informed and constrained by 3 factors?

Answer 4

1. Specifications for product/ service or need that the design process will address;
2. Cost, available materials and processes, aesthetics, and market considerations; cost effective implies sacrifice in terms of environment.
3. Knowledge and experience of designers who shape the process and the range of options. most important as may not have funds for expertise.

Question 5

Environmentally friendly product development process challenges?

Answer 5

• Responsibility parameters can be thought of as another set of constraints that bound the design space.
• Problem: due to vagueness surrounding responsibility.
• Lack of clarity limits the integration of responsibility into business/ products.

Question 6

5 criteria for environmentally friendly products?

Answer 6

1. Decrease (systematically) flows and volumes of materials and products in relation to key sustainability factors e.g. waste assimilation.
2. Use materials and inputs that are:
   (a) non-toxic, non-persistent, non-bioaccumulative, non-fossil fuel-based, non-endocrine disrupters, non-ozone depleting, and
   (b) harvested and/or produced by using (more) sustainable practices (as defined within specific sub-fields, e.g., Forest Stewardship Council).
3. Use materials and inputs that rely on efficient, renewable and sustainable sources of energy.
4. Enforce human rights policies such as:
   - Safe and healthy working conditions;
   - Freedom of association;
   - Non-discrimination in personnel practices;
   - Prohibition of forced or child labour.
5. Establish programs to:
   - promote dialogue with stakeholders;
   - integrate stakeholder input into decision-making
   processes.

Question 7

How to adopt criteria in innovation process?

Answer 7

Phase 1: Establish sustainability context
Phase 2: Define sustainability issues
Phase 3: Assess sustainability issues
Phase 4: Receive feedback

Question 8

Phase 1: Establish sustainability context

Answer 8

• What is the problem/ need/ desire?
• What is our vision?
• Identify our competitors’ corporate responsibility programs
• Identify the relevant legal framework and assess risks stemming from change in production process – if we don’t identify this we will fail

Question 9

Phase 2: Define sustainability issues

Answer 9

• What are potential solutions?

* What are the ecological, social, and economic implications of the various solutions?

Question 10

Phase 3: Assess sustainability issues

Answer 10

• Entire Life Cycle of the Product needs to be taken into consideration. e.g. materials, manufacturing, use, disposal, transportation.

Question 11

Phase 4: Receive feedback

Answer 11

• Monitor actual impacts of products;
• Identify design decisions that could have been changed; (dynamic process)
• Identify processes that could have been used differently; (dynamic process)
• Create organizational learning mechanisms to infuse these findings into future projects;
• Seek for new materials.

Question 12

Toyota example

Answer 12

Failure for first 40 years.
It has only become successful recently since responding to stakeholders’ feedback. Feedback goes hand in hand with responsibility.

Question 13

Sustainable products examples?

Answer 13

Beiersdorf- Life Cycle Analysis
• Achieved more sustainable practices by using plastic instead of glass packaging even though glass is the most sustainable product in world. By taking into account who product life cycle, it was found to not be.

Clever Little Bag by PUMA and FuseProject
• After research and LCA boxes weren’t needed. Most sustainable is a fabric bag, no useless tissue, reduced co2 by 10000 tons.

Adidas and Parley: From Threat To Thread
• Animals eat trash on land and ocean and then we eat. Shoes made from sea plastic, managed to do due to so much experience.