Sustainability

Serious about reducing your carbon footprint? Read on!

Chances are you’re already talking about carbon – and climate change too. If not, you need to start! But when you’re a busy manufacturer, getting to grips with carbon can be daunting, we know. So in this first of two articles, Head of Carbon at thinkstep-anz Nicky Andrews explains how to get started and keep making progress. Nicky Andrews, thinkstep-anz Head of Carbon. Understanding carbon emissions What are carbon emissions? ‘Carbon emissions’ is shorthand for ‘greenhouse gas emissions’ (GHGs) – the gases that are trapping heat in Earth’s atmosphere and warming our planet. There are many types of GHGs. Common ones include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). Why do manufacturers need to reduce carbon emissions? You’ll be helping to keep global warming to below 1.5°C and meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement. There are many good business reasons, too, for manufacturers to tackle carbon. How does my business benefit from reducing emissions? First up, you’ll reduce your risks. For example, if the government introduces a carbon tax, you’ll be prepared. You’ll strengthen your brand. Customers may already be asking what you’re doing to reduce your emissions. That’s because they (and their customers) are increasingly seeking lower-carbon products. You’ll strengthen relationships. For example, you’ll keep your investors happy if you manage your emissions (and their money) carefully. Your team will value your efforts too. Many people want to work for a business that takes climate action seriously. Finally, because winkling out carbon involves delving into everything you do, you’ll spot opportunities to reduce your costs. What are the three Scopes (types) of emissions? The international Greenhouse Gas Protocol is one of the standards that govern how organisations measure and reduce their carbon emissions. The Protocol splits carbon into three groups (Scopes). Diagram of the Scopes: thinkstep-anz, […]

Laminex’s sustainability strategy focuses on ‘what matters’

Jamie Rodriguez, Laminex Sustainability Manager. Photo credit: Laminex. Manufacturer Laminex knows that a successful sustainability strategy starts with understanding what matters. The company has completed a ‘materiality assessment’ to identify and prioritise the environmental, social and governance topics it needs to focus on. ‘Material’ in this context means ‘important’. Laminex New Zealand supplies high-quality countertops, vertical panels and timber-based building products. They manufacture decorated board and particleboard in Hamilton and Taupō. Laminex is part of Fletcher Building Group. The company is focused on its business’ long-term sustainability and helping to create environments that New Zealanders will enjoy for generations. What is materiality assessment? Materiality assessment is a structured way for a business to identify and understand what is important to its stakeholders. It uses qualitative research to identify important topics. Laminex Sustainability Manager Jamie Rodriguez explains that a materiality assessment allows the manufacturer to deliver on its brand promise to go ‘Beyond the Surface’. ‘Customers are increasingly interested in our sustainability strategy,’ says Jamie. ‘They want to buy from a business that values people and the planet. Materiality assessment helped us to investigate deeply what Laminex’s stakeholders value most highly and what they want the business to deliver on.’ How Laminex carried out its materiality assessment Step one: they identified their important stakeholders Many people and organisations are involved with Laminex. They have an interest in how the business performs – operationally, socially, economically and environmentally. Jamie began by dividing Laminex’s stakeholders into two groups – internal and external. Internal stakeholders included Laminex General Manager Mike Arthur and representatives across all departments such as Operational Managers, Health and Safety and Fletcher Building’s Mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) Senior Advisor. Laminex team in the Auckland Distribution Centre. Photo credit: Laminex. Customers like Kitchen Studios and architects who specify Lamine products featured on the […]

How to select a standout sustainability team

Dr Barbara Nebel, CEO, thinkstep-anz Keen to make progress on your sustainability programme? Enlist the right team! Our clients – large and small – often ask us whom to shoulder-tap when they set up their in-house sustainability team. Our answer sometimes surprises them. Yes, their team members’ skills and networks are important. But how their people think and what they value matter too. Our thinkstep-anz sustainability professionals are a good example. Our almost fifty-strong team come from many different backgrounds including product design, economics, engineering, science, law, and journalism. Their careers span many sectors and industries. What do they have in common? How they think and what they value. Pick people who see the ‘big picture’ Your sustainability programme should be part of your business strategy. So involve team members who see the ‘big picture’. Make sure they understand that becoming a more sustainable manufacturing business is about more than ‘saving the planet’ (critical though this is). It’s about future-proofing your business. A well-run sustainability programme will keep your supply chain cranking along, reduce the waste you create, keep your customers loyal, and attract talent in a tight labour market. Big-picture thinkers offer other skills too. They understand trade-offs and can set priorities. They’ll help you focus your sustainability effort so you have the greatest impact. Pick ‘systems thinkers’ Sustainability is about systems. Change one thing and you’ll change another. Pic credit: Andrew Moca on unsplash. Why does this matter? Because you want your sustainability programme to succeed. For example, before you redesign your product to use lower-carbon materials, you need to be confident you’re not adding to your waste. (Waste can emit carbon too.) Team members who see your products and business as connected ‘systems’ can identify potential issues like these. The good news? Manufacturing businesses are full […]

Sustainability and productivity: happy bedfellows

-Dr Barbare Nebel, CEO thinkstep – anz It’s good news for local manufacturers: investing in sustainability makes your business more productive. In this article, we look at how sustainability is helping New Zealand manufacturers achieve more with less. The traditional approach: more productive, less sustainable Many people view productivity and sustainability as yin and yang – connected, but opposite. Over the past 150 years, productivity has often grown at the expense of the natural environment, people and communities. For example, to increase output, many businesses have depleted natural resources like water and dumped growing amounts of waste in landfills. On the social side, greater productivity has often meant making people redundant or disrupting communities as factories expanded. It doesn’t have to be like this. Your sustainability programme can make your manufacturing business more productive too. Today’s approach: more sustainable, more productive too As a manufacturer you know the drill. To increase productivity, you need to generate more output for your inputs. In practical terms, this can mean using your raw materials more efficiently or ensuring your supply chain runs smoothly to avoid outages. In economic terms, it can involve reducing the costs of your inputs and cutting staff turnover. Here are six ways your sustainability programme can boost your productivity too. Use your raw materials as efficiently as possible Get more from your raw materials and you’ll be more productive. The circular economy is your go-to here. Your aims: to design out waste and pollution, keep products and materials in use and regenerate natural systems. Food manufacturer Sanford ensures that even low-value parts of its raw materials do not go to waste. Sanford partners with Auckland-based nanotechnology manufacturer, NanoLayr who use the collagen from the skins of Sanford’s sustainably caught hoki to make nanofibre facemasks. Tackle your carbon emissions and […]