Title:
Envirowise
Author:
Rob Holdway
Abstract:
An opportunity for businesses to talk about their experiences with eco-design, showing best practice, and drawing parallels and discussing what large, medium and small companies can achieve. Rob Holdway spoke on behalf of SMEs with whom he has a variety of experience through is work as a consultant for Envirowise.
Firstly an introduction to Envirowise was given. Envirowise offers UK businesses free, independent, confidential advice and support on practical ways to increase profits, minimise waste and reduce environmental impact. It is a government-funded programme which can help to make business more competitive and profitable, and ensure that environmental legislation is complied with. The Envirowise mission is competitiveness above the environment.
There are a number of Envirowise guides that are freely available.
Eco-design should be seen as an opportunity, not a threat and end of life costs can be reduced through eco-design. What happens to a product at the end of life? Most companies do not know and there?s got to be a starting point. A key driver is current and future legislation, for example the Landfill Directive and Hazardous Waste.
There is a knowledge / doing gap ? the challenge is turning knowledge into action.
With Envirowise they have a Design Track programme which involves 1 day?s free consultancy which looks at issues surrounding product design.
Examples of company savings achieved were given through Design Track visits. For example:
The importance of taking a systematic view was emphasised, looking at the whole system:
Key questions are:
So far Envirowise has identified £15 million in potential cost saving and is going back to put an estimate of £5 million of these into action. This is through product management, innovation management, technology management, operations management, creativity and new business models.
Further information about the e2v case study was then given. Please see the Envirowise website to view this and other case study examples.
Envirowise
Author:
Rob Holdway
Abstract:
An opportunity for businesses to talk about their experiences with eco-design, showing best practice, and drawing parallels and discussing what large, medium and small companies can achieve. Rob Holdway spoke on behalf of SMEs with whom he has a variety of experience through is work as a consultant for Envirowise.
Firstly an introduction to Envirowise was given. Envirowise offers UK businesses free, independent, confidential advice and support on practical ways to increase profits, minimise waste and reduce environmental impact. It is a government-funded programme which can help to make business more competitive and profitable, and ensure that environmental legislation is complied with. The Envirowise mission is competitiveness above the environment.
There are a number of Envirowise guides that are freely available.
Eco-design should be seen as an opportunity, not a threat and end of life costs can be reduced through eco-design. What happens to a product at the end of life? Most companies do not know and there?s got to be a starting point. A key driver is current and future legislation, for example the Landfill Directive and Hazardous Waste.
There is a knowledge / doing gap ? the challenge is turning knowledge into action.
With Envirowise they have a Design Track programme which involves 1 day?s free consultancy which looks at issues surrounding product design.
Examples of company savings achieved were given through Design Track visits. For example:
- B&W Loudspeakers - An annual saving of £150,000 through reduction in packaging costs.
- e2v technologies - Component re-use, material separation and recovery has meant cost savings of up to £107,500 a year.
The importance of taking a systematic view was emphasised, looking at the whole system:
- raw materials
- lean thinking
- consumables
- distribution
Key questions are:
- WEEE and RoHS and how they will affect you?
- What?s in it for me?
So far Envirowise has identified £15 million in potential cost saving and is going back to put an estimate of £5 million of these into action. This is through product management, innovation management, technology management, operations management, creativity and new business models.
Further information about the e2v case study was then given. Please see the Envirowise website to view this and other case study examples.
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