EMBEDDING SUSTAINABILITY: BUSINESS STRATEGIES

Sustainable design (also called Ecodesign, green design, and environmental design) is the philosophy of designing physical objects, the built environment, and services to comply with the principles of sustainability (environmental, economic, and social). The term we are using is ‘Ecodesign’, but we can support your organization in developing your brand / corporate language to describe it.
Ecodesign presents opportunities for your business to influence and manage the different environmental aspects associated with products throughout their life cycle. It can add brand value and promote a culture of more open collaboration across the organization and in your downstream supply chain.

Ecodesign Strategies and New Product Development – ideas to guide Ecodesign programmes

Reduction in materials used and diversity
Sourcing of sustainable materials
Environmentally oriented materials selection
Reduction in production impacts
Addresses product impacts and benefits across the lifecycle
Extending product life/durability

At Dymak, we create collections that tick all of these guidelines off, and we can also support you in creating your Ecodesign checklist and solution for your selected area. Here is an example below, linked to the use of sustainable materials. Some of the criteria which need to be checked are:

Efficient use of materials to minimize material inputs and waste
Use of ‘low impact’ materials e.g. (recycled/recyclable/renewable/certified as sustainably sourced)
Use raw materials and ingredients which help to reduce the product’s environmental impacts or realize new environmental benefits
Reduced environmental footprint

Examples of solutions to these problems:

Link to targets on waste minimization and KPI – e.g. reduce the material weight of products
Link to targets on product sustainability attributes – e.g. increased use of recycled and/or FSC fibers in household paper products
Link to targets on product attributes – e.g. increased use of recycled and/or FSC fibers in household paper products
Link to targets on the carbon footprint of the supply chain – e.g. reduce the carbon footprint of a detergent redesign to a more concentrated formula; or one that facilitates a lower wash temperature

It is imperative in the current evolution of business that new products and innovations will be the key drivers for growth for any organization. With the onset of COVID-19, it is also clear from the emerging trends that consumers are leaning more towards sustainability, whether that be in the form of changes in diet to vegetarianism or the use of renewable sources of packaging. From the two above, it follows that unless organizations stay focused on embedding sustainable concepts in their innovations to attract consumers and further grow their businesses, they will perish.
Companies must truly understand what consumers want and need to inspire, inform, build trust, and continue to innovate and invest in sustainability.