Building End-To-End Sustainable Operations

This PSFK guide is a sustainable operations report on employing systematic thinking to supply chain, R&D and manufacturing to drive efficiencies & recapture value.

Executive Summary

Sustainability has quickly become the new standard in business. Coupled with the push for more environmental regulation and calls from consumers for greener practices and greater transparency, many brand manufacturers are completely rethinking their supply chain and manufacturing processes to be more efficient in terms of sourcing and production waste and overall impact on natural resources like water and land. Alongside this, businesses are reviewing product development to consider alternative materials and modular designs that enable easier repair, recycling or upcycling of core components to keep them in use and out of landfills.

Report Overview

Within this sustainable operations report, the PSFK iQ research team unpacks opportunities in sourcing methods from science-backed efforts and regenerative agriculture to programs that recycle old products into high-quality materials. On the product side, we explore the viability of on-demand production as an antidote to mass manufacturing and consider the benefits of open source design. It’s an important topic and one we’re excited to share.

Who Prepared This Report?

This sustainable operations report was developed by the same PSFK research department that since 2004 has provided trends-led innovation consulting advice to Apple, BMW, Facebook/Meta, Google, Microsoft, Samsung and Volkswagen.