|
OPERATIONALIZING PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP
The benefits of Product Stewardship can
only materialize if pragmatic approaches that are readily
available and usable exist. Examining the points of influence
and relevance of business processes from a life cycle perspective
helps to ensure that decisions and actions are consistent
with Alcan's sustainability-driven concept of value. This
means leveraging the EHS FIRST mindset and the
CI toolbox to achieve internal benefits such as cost savings,
higher employee satisfaction, better internal EHS performance,
improved quality, and improved overall performance.
A Product Stewardship toolbox is also under development,
in order to be able to introduce the concept into existing
decision-making processes concerning products. It is important
to note that Product Stewardship is not "another program"
– Product Stewardship is a "way of doing things"
and an essential component to support the Company's sustainability-driven
concept of value. There is no "one-size-fits-all"
solution, but the concept is similar independent of the application.
Product Stewardship is an important long-term goal, one in
which this concept becomes an integral part of decision-making
for any product system. For example, at Alcan Engineered Products,
Mass Transportation Systems, Life Cycle Thinking starts with
a seminar on environmentally sound design as part of the systematic
training received by engineers.
Based on standardized methodologies to perform environmental
life cycle assessments, Alcan is developing pragmatic approaches
that meet the requirements of international standards such
as the ISO 14040 series of standards on the methodology of
life cycle assessments, while also meeting the needs of the
practitioner.
|
