While Lean tools and green methodologies are very different, these business strategies can be integrated simultaneously to maximize performance, as the Grand Rapids Chair Company discovered. The furniture manufacturer chalks this up to the fact that both Lean and green processes are implemented through Plan-Do-Check-Assess (PDCA) cycles. Both Lean and sustainability initiatives need to be
Continue reading »Businesses are always looking for ways to reduce their environmental footprint, with the hope that doing so will improve their reputation amongst consumers. A 2011 report from Cohn & Wolfe 60 percent of consumers globally would rather buy products from environmentally responsible companies, highlighting the fact that going green can help businesses secure more sales. The
Continue reading »“Best of breed,” “value-added,” “synergy,” “seamless,” “sustainability” – what do all these terms have in common? They are all popular buzzwords that fly from businessman to businessman at boardroom meetings like mosquitos on a hot day. The problem with buzzwords is that they sound good when spoken, so they are constantly overused in business settings
Continue reading »There is much talk about going green in today's business world, with both regulators and consumers expecting businesses to clean up their acts. However, that isn't necessarily a bad thing, as data from Accenture suggests companies that utilize Lean sustainability actually profit more than those that don't. In other words, utilizing Lean to go green can
Continue reading »It's no secret that more companies are going green to reduce expenses and gain some public support. A number of studies have shown that consumers are more supportive – at least emotionally – of businesses that practice green operations and produce environment-friendly goods, highlighting the need for organizations to at least consider reducing their carbon
Continue reading »Kaizen revolves around the identification and elimination of wastes. By implementing Kaizen, businesses are able to improve production and streamline efficiency, enabling them to achieve the same or better metrics while decreasing or maintaining the costs of production. But what is a waste? Wastes may not be apparent in every business setting, InformIt explains. Even
Continue reading »Going green refers to a number of different variables. For some companies, it implies minimizing paper usage. For others, it means video conferencing instead of driving or flying to business meetings. These are all voluntary steps companies can take to reduce their carbon footprints. On the other end of the spectrum are mandatory regulations that
Continue reading »Major companies across the world are looking to go green, and businesses that already have reputations for sustainability are looking to take their environmentally friendly practices one step further. American department store Kohl's, for example, is known for having solar panels on the roof of each location, converting sunlight into the energy that helps power
Continue reading »There is a common misconception that running Lean, sustainable operations is more costly than managing a wasteful business. However, as Forbes notes, the fact of the matter is that if sustainability costs a company more money, then the people running the organization are doing it wrong, plain and simple. For many companies, Lean and sustainable
Continue reading »For years, many businesses have questioned whether they can achieve profitability by reducing their carbon footprints. However, given the rise in environmental awareness, more organizations are dealing with terms such as “carbon neutral,” “renewable energy,” “eco-design” and “green” on a daily basis. This is challenging them to think broadly about how they impact the environment
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