It’s a simple fact that every industry must play its part to reduce its impact on climate change, and manufacturing is no exception.
Manufacturing currently accounts for 12% of all greenhouse gas emissions according to the Global Emissions Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. This makes manufacturing one of the leading contributors to carbon emissions alongside other industries such as electricity, agriculture and transportation.
Every manufacturing business can make a positive impact on reducing its emissions. Furthermore, requirements such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) have made the issue of sustainability a requirement rather than a nice-to-have. Therefore, now couldn’t be a better time to learn how your business could reduce its emissions today.
These are some of the top principles to consider when looking to make your manufacturing business more sustainable.
What Does Sustainability In Manufacturing Mean?
- Reducing the consumption of energy and water
- Conserving raw material materials and looking for alternatives which do not deplete limited sources
- Lowering pollution and emissions throughout all aspects of the business
- Considering the product lifecycle to ensure longevity as well as the ability to reuse or recycle
- Promoting social and environmental responsibility throughout the business
How Can Manufacturers Implement Sustainability?
Achieving sustainable manufacturing starts by taking an honest and in-depth look at the current carbon footprint of the business such as undertaking an ESG report. In short, every aspect of the business requires careful scrutiny to outline all emissions. From there, a plan can be put in place to make efficiencies and reduce these emissions.
For manufacturers, some key aspects to look at when implementing sustainability include:
Resource efficiency: Sustainable manufacturers are those who optimise how resources are used to minimise waste. This includes reducing material waste and repurposing or recycling materials elsewhere where possible. Resources also include energy such as electricity and gas, as well as water. By retrofitting or upgrading systems within the building, less resources will be needed to power operations.
Supply chain responsibility: From the origins of where raw materials are sourced to how the finished product will eventually be disposed of, every aspect of the supply chain needs to prioritise sustainability. Namely, avoiding materials that cannot easily be replenished from nature, along with materials that aren’t considered ethical. In addition, manufacturers need to consider how goods can be recycled or reused at the end of their lifespan, while also moving away from single-use plastics and similar problematic materials.
Other environmental efficiencies: Manufacturing covers the process of obtaining goods and materials through to transporting the goods to their final destination. Therefore, sustainable practices can be implemented at every stage from cleaner production methods to vehicles which emit zero emissions. In addition, material handling products can reduce the energy, time and effort needed to complete various tasks within a manufacturing facility.
Need More Help With Manufacturing And Sustainability?
Material handling products from Metreel can help improve productivity in your business. Crucially, we understand the need to implement sustainability into your operations, including by removing inefficient tools, technologies or processes.
Based in Derbyshire, Metreel operates across the UK. We work with various industries alongside manufacturing meaning we can create the custom solutions you need to get the job done, all while reducing the impact on the environment.
Discover our full range of products by visiting our site or downloading our product brochure.
Or contact our team to tell us more about your manufacturing and sustainability requirements by giving us a call on 0115 932 7010 or emailing us at [email protected].