Part 2

Our previous article touched on the business benefits of employing sustainable manufacturing processes in the areas of waste reduction and customer reach.

From the smallest business to large corporations, the move to ‘green manufacturing’ is gaining momentum. With each company and each person doing their part, we will certainly be able to relieve the stress on our planet’s resources and help to keep it clean.

Sustainable Manufacturing: Long Term Advantages

Wise businesses always have a two-part plan which includes both short and long-term goals. While the long-term initiatives generally take time and money to get off the ground, they pay dividends in the form of a stable business with a working plan.

Long-Term Effects

The long-term effects of sustainable manufacturing practices will, of course, vary by industry, but are likely to include:

• Brand recognition and public trust
• Business partnerships based on common goals
• Remaining within the bounds of the environmental legislature
• Staff retention/satisfaction due to a sound business ethos and sustainable responsibility
• Increased profitability

An insightful paper from Science Direct on the topic of sustainable manufacturing practices sums it up well.

“Zooming into each dimension of Sustainable Manufacturing Practices (SMP), some studies were supported the ability of internal SMP on improving economic sustainability (ES). 

“For example, conducting an empirical study on sustainable supply chain among 212 US manufacturing firms, [2] found that sustainable operations management practices would lead to increase operational, market and financial performance. 

“While targeting energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction, and other resource-efficient practices for improving the viability of ecosystems and reduce ecological impacts, firms are able to increase operational efficiency such as cost savings, reduced production lead times, and improved quality and productivity as well as improved revenues or profitability, market share and reputation, and better new market opportunities”

Innovation

We understand that necessity is the mother of invention, and this applies well to the innovation which follows the adoption of sustainable manufacturing standards. 

Growth and performance are usually indicators of innovation, but in today’s turbulent market it can simply mean the survival of our business.

Innovation can take the form of products, processes, services or creative marketing ideas – each of which has been known to offer incrementally positive changes. Following these alternative ideas leads to different paths and often unexpected combinations of concepts.

The paper mentioned above says, “Recognizing innovation as valuable, rare, non-substitutable and unique organizational resources, the ability to successfully implement creative ideas within an organization offers significant benefits for gaining greater ES.”

Far from the tired ‘save the planet’ cliché which has lost some of its punch, sustainable manufacturing processes make business sense in terms of saving money, saving time, saving resources and, of course, saving our planet.