A preliminary framework to address the industrial environmental challenge

Abstract

Growing awareness of the need to enhance environmental performance resonates across various industrial sectors. However, efforts toward sustainability remain inadequate, especially given the pressing issue of Climate Change. To address this, this paper introduces a novel preliminary approach grounded in Lean Thinking principles, featuring a structured three-step process enhanced with visual tools. Step one involves pinpointing the green sustainability measures and their deployment locations, facilitating the identification of urgent actions. Step two delves into identifying potential barriers that could hinder measure adoption, resulting in a refined set of implementable actions for greater improvements. Finally, in the third step, we select and prioritize the most viable measures, accounting for case-specific factors like costs and their impact on environmental performance. This study culminates in a real-world application within a luxury plywood production company, illustrating the framework's ability to align environmental objectives with economic success by avoiding unprofitable choices.