As environmental awareness continues to intensify, sustainable products have become a crucial driver of business growth. These products are designed, manufactured, and distributed to minimise environmental impact, conserve resources, and promote social equity. Companies that fail to adopt such practices are increasingly under pressure from both industry and consumers to transition to more sustainable alternatives and demonstrate a commitment to a greener future. Moreover, they risk missing out on numerous opportunities that come from integrating environmentally responsible practices into their core operations.
The business case for sustainable products
Investing in sustainable products not only aligns with ethical responsibility but also opens up new business opportunities. Numerous studies show that consumers are increasingly choosing brands that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability. According to a Nielsen report, 73% of global consumers would change their consumption habits to reduce their environmental impact. Sustainable products can also leverage higher prices, with consumers willing to pay a premium of up to 20% for products that are marketed as eco-friendly.
Beyond consumer preferences, sustainable products have the potential to enhance brand reputation and performance, and when products are marketed as sustainable they typically grow 5.6 times faster than those that are not. Companies excelling on the sustainability front are often perceived as forward-thinking, innovative organisations which can be a key advantage against competitors.
Creating a sustainable product
A sustainable product minimises environmental impact throughout its entire life span, from planning and design to disposal. To ensure your product endorses sustainability credibly, sustainable approaches must be taken in each of the following stages in its life cycle:
1. Design & Planning:
The eco-friendly foundations of your product can be integrated from the get-go. This includes choosing sustainable materials, designing for durability, and considering the entire product life cycle. Planning for adaptability, repairability, and recyclability is crucial in ensuring that products live longer and generate less waste.
2. Development:
Here, companies should focus on sustainable sourcing. This involves selecting materials that are renewable, recyclable, or have a low environmental impact.
3. Manufacturing:
Sustainable manufacturing practices aim to reduce energy consumption, minimise waste, and limit emissions. Companies should adopt innovative manufacturing technologies, optimise resource use through renewable energy and implement waste management strategies.
4. Distribution:
The sustainability of a product extends to its distribution and companies should make every effort to minimise the carbon footprint associated with transportation. This can be achieved through route-optimisation logistics, using energy-efficient transportation modes, and reducing or using more sustainable packaging materials.
5. Usage:
Products should always be designed for energy efficiency and minimal environmental impact during their use phase. For example, electronic devices should have low power consumption.
6. End-of-Life
The final stage in a product’s life cycle is crucial for sustainability. Companies should plan for the product’s end-of-life by designing for recyclability, biodegradability, or safe disposal. Implementing take-back programs or offering incentives for returning products can help manage waste and ensure materials are recycled or disposed of responsibly.
Embedding sustainability in your business through your products and services
To guarantee that a product meets sustainability standards, businesses should employ three key tools:
Product Carbon Footprinting
This process involves measuring the total greenhouse gas emissions generated by your product throughout its life cycle, from raw material extraction to disposal (cradle-to-grave). By understanding the carbon footprint, companies can identify key emission hotspots with the potential for reductions, (similar to measuring organisational carbon footprints), such as in manufacturing processes, transportation, or packaging.
Measuring and understanding your product’s carbon footprint allows you to gain detailed insights into its climate impact, and enables you to drive sustainability from product to product, creating a more sustainable business environment overall. We align with the GHG Protocol Product Standard, but can additionally report to ISO 14067 standards or PAS 2050 if required.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
LCA is a holistic approach that evaluates the environmental impacts of your product from cradle to grave. This includes assessing the energy and resources used at each stage of the product’s life cycle, as well as the emissions and waste generated. By using LCA to identify hotspots where environmental impacts are high along the product journey, more informed decisions can be made to improve the sustainability of your product.
When supporting you with your LCA, we can work to several standards including ISO 14040 & ISO 14044, and the EU’s standardised Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology.
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)
An EPD is often seen as a follow-up to an LCA. It is a standardised document that provides transparent and comparable information about the environmental impact of your product. Based on LCA data, an EPD outlines the product’s environmental performance, covering aspects such as energy use, water consumption, and waste generation. Businesses often use EPDs to communicate their environmental efforts to stakeholders and consumers clearly. The declaration acts as a credible claim to the sustainability of your product with verification possible from third parties.
Take the first step
In conclusion, developing sustainable products can significantly reduce your overall business carbon footprint while improving performance. However, for a product to be genuinely sustainable, the environmental impact at each stage of its lifecycle must be carefully assessed and minimised.
Ready to decarbonise your product range? Positive Planet offers a range of tools to help you reduce product emissions and effectively communicate your impact to stakeholders through Product Carbon Footprinting, Life Cycle Assessments, and Environmental Product Declarations. For more information on these services, feel free to reach out to our friendly team today.
