Systems thinking and sustainable manufacturing
Remember the moment your flatpack furniture finally took shape (with no pieces missing and your relationships intact)? The last piece slotted in because you got the ‘system’ right. Assorted pieces came together, in the right way, to make a useful item of furniture that was ‘more than the sum of its parts’. Sustainability is about systems too. Understanding the relationships between a strong bottom line, a flourishing environment and thriving people and communities will help you make your manufacturing business more sustainable. In fact, you can’t have a healthy business if you don’t attend to all parts of the system. In this article, we look at systems in your manufacturing business. Drawing on examples from our 2023 articles, we show the opportunities these systems offer to become more sustainable. But first, some background. Systems in sustainability The United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals are a good place to start. They highlight the social, economic and environmental systems that make up our world, plus the links between them. These systems reinforce one another. Some systems are virtuous. Get one thing right and we fix others too. For example, if we consume and produce responsibly (SDG12), we reduce carbon emissions (SDG 13) and modern slavery (positive impacts on social SDGs 1, 5 and 8). Vicious cycles are possible too. If we plant soybeans to create renewable bio-diesel (SDG 7), we risk crowding out native plants (SDG15). Systems in manufacturing As a manufacturer you’re familiar with ‘systems thinking’, even if you don’t call it this. That’s because your business is a system. For example, when raw materials are unavailable, your production line slows down. You have to re-plan your team’s rosters, your production run, marketing schedule, deliveries and cashflow. Everything’s linked. Here are some other examples of systems in your business and what […]