Reviewing the end-to-end manufacturing process is key to measuring and reducing Scope 1 GHG emissions and conserving natural resources.
A methodology is described below and the use of technology is a catalyst for measuring and optimising manufacturing processes.
Sustainable supply chain manufacturing can be defined as a method for manufacturing that minimizes waste and reduces the environmental impact.
These goals are to be obtained mainly by adopting practices that will influence the product design, process design and operational principles.
Production engineers, factory planners and product designers must identify improvement measures for existing manufacturing systems as well as innovative concepts for new facilities.
As the scope of work may be very wide when we are refering to sustainable manufacturing, we are focusing below on initiatives that may be implemented :
Almost half of
executives report that their environmental sustainability initiatives measurably boosted their corporate financial performance.
(Deloitte’ survey - 2021 Climate Check)
10% lower
are the operating costs of companies having strong environmental, social and governance (ESG) credentials.
(NSPR, citing a 2021 McKinsey study)
At Saxon Renewables, headquartered in Singapore, we focus on providing sustainable solutions to organizations looking to reduce their carbon footprint and greenhouse gases emissions.
We offer services in the form of sustainability consulting and reporting, solar power purchase agreements (PPA) as well as environmental attribute solution such as carbon credits and Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs).
Lean Manufacturing provides organisations with tools to improve their competitiveness based on increasing customer value in terms of productivity, efficiency, quality and consumer satisfaction by reducing resource consumption through the elimination of 7 wastes (transport, inventory, motion, waiting, over-processing, over-production).
Green Manufacturing can be defined as Lean Manufacturing with a renewed interest in developing greener solutions capable of not only minimising waste, but also reducing the negative environmental and social impacts (minimising health risks) of traditional industrial practices throughout the product life cycle.
The objective of both approaches is the same - to minimise non-value added activities with a focus on waste reduction, people and organisation, lead time reduction, supply chain relationships, KPI service levels tools and practices. They can be very effective when unified and implemented simultaneously (see figure in additional information Affiliation amid Lean-Green Methods).
The International Standard Organisation (ISO) has developed an international standard for environmental management systems known as ISO14001:2015. These standards act as a systematic continuous improvement tool to implement Green Manufacturing.
- Additional details on how to incorporate green and lean can be accessed in J.P. Rishi's publication available here. This read is recommended for existing lean manufacturing professionals.
- OECD organization provides another publication and toolkit, which offers two components: a step-by-step Start-up Guide and a Web Portal where technical guidance on measurement are provided.
We are passionate about people, the environment, and technological progress. We anticipate technological developments and facilitate change – defining standards and going beyond regulatory compliance. Staying true to our founding principle, we add value by creating a safer and more sustainable future.
Carbon emission verification ISO 14064, LCA ISO14067, Green Compass Trainer, other sustainability courses from TUV SUD Academy, Energy audits.
The term cleaner production is a response to the question of how to produce in a sustainable manner.
Its core element is prevention vs. clean-up or end-of-pipe solutions to environmental problems: resources should be used efficiently thus reducing environmental pollution, improving health and safety and reducing waste costs.
Cleaner production focuses on conservation of natural resources such as water, energy and raw materials and avoiding the end of pipe treatment.
By considering production processes, cleaner production includes:
For products, the strategy focuses on reducing impacts along the entire life-cycle of the product, from raw material extraction to the ultimate disposal of the product. Cleaner production is achieved by applying know-how, by improving technology, and by changing attitudes.
Changing attitudes is the most challenging and the most important step in applying cleaner production concept.
Cleaner production techniques are also good business for the industry as it will:
On a broader scale, cleaner production can help alleviate the serious and increasing problems of air and water pollution, ozone depletion, global warning, landscape degradation, solid and liquid wastes, resource depletion, acidification of the natural and built environment, visual pollution and reduced biodiversity.
To decrease waste in manufacturing, please browse our waste management best practices on production area and packing & Unpacking area
Zero Waste City is an engineering consulting business specialised in waste reduction for commercial and industrial facilities. They help businesses to save money by reducing waste and to achieve Zero Waste goals. Their services include:
Sustainable organizations strive to balance the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit to achieve long-term success and viability. This means that organizations cannot be sustainable without protecting the safety, health, and welfare of their most vital resource: The workers.
A stronger commitment to safety and health can benefit workers by decreasing the number of illnesses, injuries and fatalities; increasing their engagement and satisfaction; and enabling them to be productive participants in the organization and their communities. When emphasizing the safety, health and welfare of workers, businesses also see benefits in decreased costs associated with workers’ compensation payments, training and recruitment; increased productivity and quality; and improved reputational and financial performance.
Integrating safety and health into sustainability strategies can transform an organization into one that strives to protect the environment for future generations, ensures longterm economic viability and allows all people to thrive.
$200 billion / year
is the estimated cost for the US economy of, occupational illnesses, injuries and fatalities.
(journal of safety research)
Worker Safety and Health Considerations in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (un.org/sustainabledevelopment)
A number of the SDGs have direct and indirect connections to worker and labor issues.
For example: GOAL #8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Second Example: GOAL #12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Mind Up Consulting develops supply chain resilience and purchasing sustainable performance through partnerships, fairer risks management strategies and people-oriented solutions. Upstream, we guide brands in their purchasing, risk management and traceability strategies development. Downstream, we work on the field to evaluate, support and empower manufacturers and farmers in their social practices and overall performance.
Our scope: multi-industries, worldwide.
Our clients are SME’s operating in wood, metal, textile, decoration, printing, construction and renovation businesses.
We are passionate about people, the environment, and technological progress. We anticipate technological developments and facilitate change – defining standards and going beyond regulatory compliance. Staying true to our founding principle, we add value by creating a safer and more sustainable future.
Carbon emission verification ISO 14064, LCA ISO14067, Green Compass Trainer, other sustainability courses from TUV SUD Academy, Energy audits.
In recent years, manufacturers have implemented, lean processes as well as digital capabilities to boost productivity, create safer workplaces, and reduce costs. By providing manufacturers integrated and complimentary capabilities, they can gain greater visibility into their production processes, equipment wear-and-tear, and energy usage. These capabilities can empower organizations to optimize production, improve predictive maintenance, and minimize material waste.
The emerging digital technologies can significantly accelerate the Supply Chain transformation implemented in the companies :
~ 10 % of GDP
will be stored on BlockChain and similar technologies by 2025.
(World Economic Forum)
1 million
of working robots and machines are powering the world. In car manufacturing sector, they account for 80% of the work.
(International Federation of Robotics)
With more than 15 years expertise, EcoXplore provides integrated automation, smart meters and IoT products in Singapore.
Their solutions range from Datacentres Infrastructure Management (DCIM) and Energy Management System (EMS) to Building Management System (BMS) and Lighting Control Management System.
UnaBiz is a global Massive IoT service provider and integrator that specialises in solution design, manufacturing, connectivity and data platform services across a hybrid of network communication technologies such as Sigfox, LoRa, LTE-M, NB-IoT and Satellite, to power sustainable business growth. Founded in 2016, the company is headquartered in Singapore, with R&D centres in Taipei and Labège (FR), and operates regional sales offices in Tokyo, Paris, Toulouse and Madrid, with virtual offices globally.
UnaBiz owns the Sigfox 0G technology that connects 12 million sensors for 1500 B2B customers on the global 0G Network, owned and commercialised by 70+ national Operators worldwide. The company focuses on Utilities, Supply Chain & Logistics, Security and Facilities & Building Management.
UnaBiz envisions a closely connected world powered by simple technology because it believes in “Less is More”. By uniting people and IoT technology, it aims to create an impact on a massive scale, to help every person and every organisation on the planet live smarter, simpler, and more sustainable way.
The « green journey » may feel overwhelming sometimes, but you are not alone.
Our Buddies have tried, succeeded, failed to implement change in their companies. They share their experience so you can learn, take shortcuts, get inspired and ask questions.
Everybody can become a Buddy and give back to the community; if you are keen, get in touch with us.
In 2023, I co-founded Greenfinity, a Singapore-based supply chain sustainability venture focusing on sustainable and low-carbon transformation for supply chains. The objective is to help people and companies strategize their sustainability action plans to make a difference for the planet, the people, and the business.
I have a background in industrial engineering and supply chain management and 20 years of multi-national company experience in Europe and Asia, driving best-in-class logistics, manufacturing, customer services, and planning processes (S&OP/IBP). With climate change becoming an additional consideration to supply chain management over the past decade, I decided to help supply chain professionals juggle between achieving the best service, optimal cost, cash efficiency, and now decarbonization.
As the Senior Programme Manager for Sustainability Validation and Verification at TÜV SÜD, Mei Yee helps organisations add credibility and assurance to their greenhouse gases (GHG) emission assertations and GRI reports by providing third-party verification reports to support organizational claims.
She has six years of experience in the standards development of ISO 30500 and ISO 31800, testing, and certification for non-sewered sanitation systems. Prior to that, Mei Yee spearheaded World Toilet Organization's Rainbow School Toilet projects in China and Sanishop in Cambodia. She is passionate about driving corporate social responsibility and sustainability and has spent more than 18 years in various fields working internationally across teams and cultural boundaries before turning her focus on Singapore to helping companies with their carbon reduction journey. She holds a Masters in Community Water and Sanitation and a Science Degree in Earth Science, majoring in geology and physical geography.
She is a certified WSQ Advanced Certificate in Learning and Performance (ACLP) Train-The-Trainer (TTT). Since then, she has facilitated many companies in the training for Green Compass – An environmental assessment framework targeted at SME/ manufacturing industries.
I have over 15 years experience in Responsible Value Chain. I started as a Sustainable material experts to slowly cover the entire Value chain and life cycle of products.
I am a change management practitioner with more than 12 years of experience in this field. In this context I have accompanied various initiatives to drive operational excellence, to improve cross-silo collaboration, and strengthen leadership qualities. In addition, I accompanied companies to establish new strategies, values and behaviours with the result to nudge cultures.
With Hive17, I focus on supporting companies along their sustainability journey. Key questions are how are the targets & strategies implemented across the organisation? And how can we create a culture that leads to success in sustainability.
Founder and Director of the consulting business Zero Waste City, Rémi provides engineering consulting services to large commercial and industrial facilities on waste management, energy efficiency, and packaging design.
He has gained a strong experience as a consultant covering a wide range of industries and technologies in New Zealand, Australia, and Singapore.
He is a certified TRUE Advisor (Total Resource Use Efficiency) by the U.S. Green Building Council Inc. This certification recognised his knowledge in Zero Waste programs and his ability to support businesses to achieve the TRUE Zero Waste certification.
Ex-fashion designer and entrepreneur, Roxane first started in the fashion industry holding several Head designer positions for high-end and high street activewear brands, leading product development from specs and material sourcing to supply chain management and production. She, then, went on an unexpected and career changing entrepreneurial journey, which included co-founding barePack, a container-sharing business in Singapore.
Roxane has also been engaged as a public speaker and expert advisor for all matters regarding sustainable materials and textiles, plastics economy, circular packaging, reuse models and recycling. She is currently a Sustainable Fashion Advisor and Curriculum Developer at the Textile and Fashion Industry Training Centre (TaF.tc), delivering sustainability curriculum and support to students and management, respectively, and board advisor to the materials traceability and circularity platform Orobo.