2022-10-17-Capgemini-反思_为什么需要可持续产品设计（英）_80页_9mb

Summary of "Rethink: Why Sustainable Product Design is the Need of the Hour"

Core Content

Sustainable product design is increasingly recognized as a critical component of business strategy, driven by the urgent need for environmental and social responsibility. The document highlights that 80% of a product’s environmental impact is determined at the design stage, making it a pivotal point for systemic change. It emphasizes that sustainable design is not only an environmental necessity but also a business imperative, as it can lead to reduced emissions, improved compliance, enhanced revenue growth, and stronger stakeholder relationships.

The report outlines how organizations are beginning to integrate sustainability into their product development processes, with tools like L’Oréal’s Sustainable Product Optimization Tool (SPOT) enabling the quantification of environmental and social impacts across product lifecycles. Through such tools, 85% of new or updated products in 2019 showed an improved environmental or social profile. Examples include the development of a solid shampoo that reduces water use and packaging waste, and the use of sustainably sourced shea butter in skincare products, which supports 35,000 women producers in Burkina Faso.

Main Points

Why Organizations Need to Focus on Sustainable Product Design

• Climate change mitigation: Product emissions account for a major share of an organization’s total GHG emissions, and sustainable design is a key lever in the transition to net zero.
• Resource scarcity and supply chain risks: Organizations face growing challenges due to the limited availability of raw materials and the need for supply chain resilience.
• Regulatory pressure: Governments are increasingly pushing for sustainable product design through regulations such as Ecodesign for Sustainable Products and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws.
• Consumer and employee expectations: Sustainability is becoming a key factor in customer satisfaction and employee engagement, with 70% of organizations reporting increased customer satisfaction due to sustainable initiatives.

Current Prioritization of Sustainable Product Design

• Only 22% of organizations say sustainability is a key component of their product design processes.
• One-quarter of organizations conduct regular environmental and social impact assessments.
• 8% of organizations evaluate both environmental and social impacts regularly.
• Only 12% of organizations have adopted a systems thinking approach to product design.

Factors Hindering Progress

• Cost concerns: While 23% of organizations report cost reductions and 37% say costs have remained the same, some see increased costs, though 51% say the benefits outweigh the costs.
• Lack of sustainable materials: 55% of organizations cite the unavailability of sustainable materials as a major challenge.
• Data and technology gaps: Many organizations lack the necessary skills and tools for assessing environmental and social impacts, such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), AI/ML, digital twins, and bio-innovation.
• Limited internal capabilities: Only 28% of organizations are upskilling their design teams in sustainable design.

Recommendations for Organizations

• Make sustainability a core design priority: Define clear sustainability goals, establish accountability, and invest in tools and guidelines to evaluate trade-offs and alternatives.
• Establish cross-functional teams and partnerships: Collaboration across the value chain and with external experts is essential for sustainable design.
• Adopt a long-term view of costs: Use True Cost Accounting (TCA) to evaluate environmental and social costs alongside financial ones.
• Leverage technology: Invest in technologies that enhance material traceability, design efficiency, and circularity. Ensure product design teams work closely with data and digital experts.
• Design for circularity: Prioritize product longevity, repairability, modularity, recyclability, and recoverability to reduce resource use and manage supply chain risks.

Key Organizations and Case Studies

• L’Oréal: Uses SPOT to evaluate environmental and social impacts, achieving 80% reduction in primary packaging and 30% reduction in GHG emissions.
• Fairphone: Focuses on modular design, circularity, and ethical sourcing, with 40% of phones refurbished and resold in 2020.
• BMW: Plans to integrate circular thinking into its Neue Klasse models, reducing resource consumption and increasing the use of secondary materials.
• HP: Reports $3.5 billion in new sales due to sustainable product design, emphasizing product circularity, sustainable materials, and responsible sourcing.

Conclusion

Sustainable product design is a strategic and operational necessity for organizations aiming to meet environmental goals, regulatory requirements, and consumer expectations. While progress is being made, many organizations still lack the infrastructure, mindset, and tools to fully implement sustainable design. The report calls for a mindset shift, investment in skills and technology, and collaboration across the value chain to accelerate the transition to sustainable product development.