Abstract
This article investigates aspects related to the adoption of ecodesign practices by companies. It is descriptive in nature, based on a quantitative survey. We considered 10 indicators of ecological design principles and ecodesign practices, obtained from a review of the relevant literature, and administered a questionnaire to 340 respondents on the set of indicators investigated. We conclude that in addition to meeting legal requirements, the adoption of ecodesign practices benefits the environment and society as a whole. It also enhances firms’ social image by publicizing their concern for environmental preservation and reduces the use of materials and consumption of energy.
Highlights
CONCEPT OF ECODESIGNKazazian (2005) focuses on the ecological conception, defined as the application of ecodesign concepts
This article investigates aspects related to the adoption of ecodesign practices by companies
Environmental analysts emphasize the need to consider the environmental cost of products against the revenues they generate and stress that to promote sustainability, environmental questions must be viewed as part of the global process of developing products (LUTTROPP; LAGERSTEDT, 2006)
Summary
Kazazian (2005) focuses on the ecological conception, defined as the application of ecodesign concepts. According to Bahmed, Boukhalfa & Djebabra (2005), some of the most important factors for success of ecological conception projects (applying the ecodesign concepts) are group motivation and management, use of working teams and a standard mechanism for product design, initial launch of the action project and its communication, and the need to provide training and achieve technological development with the help of experts who are well informed about ecological conception These authors indicate various risk factors for failure of execution: lack of knowledge about environmental questions by the people involved in the project; existence of many uncertainties and lack of understanding about the impact of ecological conception in areas like regulatory compliance, cost reduction, competitive advantage and improved organizational image; lack of consensus about how to evaluate products in environmental terms; absence of standards; and belief that environmental objectives necessarily stand in opposition to economic objectives. The product must be suitable for ecological conception, i.e., it must have potential to be redesigned based on environmental considerations (Vercalsteren, 2001)
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