Report on Product Sustainability

Report on Product Sustainability

Series of Sessions on Sustainability

Report on the Session on – “Product Sustainability” held on November 13, 2013 by Mr. Anand Joshi, Associate Director, KPMG at the Bombay Chamber Board Room, The Ruby, Dadar.

Anand started by taking the views understanding of the participants on the Product Sustainability. He spoke on introduction of Product Sustainability and Trends, how to achieve Product Sustainability and the initiatives on the subject.

The term sustainable product can be subjective and include a wide variety of economic, social and environmental considerations. The broad definition of a Sustainable product is an item or service that minimises its impact on the environment at each phase of its life cycle - By New South Wales Government. To explain the concept Anand gave examples of a computer, a chair, a T-shirt, electric items, cars, etc.

He spoke on trends and shared the importance of improvement in sustainable product and services from the Verdantix Global Sustainability Leaders Survey 2013. More than 33 % said that it is very important and for 36% it is important to improve. It was also said that budget should increase by 25%.

To achieve product sustainability –

1.  Need to understand the life cycle of the product. Life cycle assessment provides a holistic framework taking the entire system of a product, process and service into account, enabling us to make choices for the longer term taking multiple factors into account. It is an integrated concept for managing the total lifecycle of goods and services towards more sustainable production and consumption. It uses the various procedural and analytical tools and applications and integrates economic, social and environmental aspects into an institutional context.

2.  Product Service System-way to develop a marketable mix of products and services that are jointly capable of fulfilling consumer needs with less environmental and social impact. It aims towards creating win-win solutions and decoupling economic growth from environmental and social degradation.

3.  Closed group approach –companies are increasingly moving from linear production models to closed – loop value chains. This means that the by-product of one process becomes the raw material for another process.

There are various tools available like -

·  ISO 14044: Environmental Management – Life Cycle Assessment – Requirements and Guidelines

·  ISO 14067: Carbon foot print of products

·  ILCD: International Reference Life Cycle Data System

·  Ecological Footprint

·  Product and Supply Chain Standards, Greenhouse Gas Protocol (WRI / WBCSD)

·  Specification for the assessment of the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions of goods and services

·  British Standard for Carbon Foot printing BSI PAS 2050

·  Material flow accounting

·  Function based approach

·  Design for Environment and many more

Mr. Joshi explained in detail about various aspects of Life Cycle Assessment and approach to Product Sustainability. He shared initiatives on Product sustainability like Type I (ISO14024, Type II (ISO 14021), Type III (ISO / TR 14025) etc. He also spoke about National Voluntary Guidelines and relation of Product Sustainability.

The session was very interactive as delegates raised many queries and cleared their doubts. The speaker used various examples to apply the concepts in different sectors and type of industry.

The programme was well received by the delegates as speaker was able to answer the queries and clear the doubts. Ms. Usha Maheshwari, Joint Director delivered the vote of thanks.