Lean methodology is all about reducing waste and efficiently utilizing available resources to create better process flow and maximize customer value.
Sustainability aims to protect our natural resources from depletion, maintain ecological balance, and create a better quality of life for future generations.
When we think of lean six sigma, it's often about how it improves business processes. But the same problem-solving techniques can apply to your organization's green efforts. Now more than ever, companies are emphasizing sustainability measures, and utilizing lean thinking will reduce the time it takes to roll out crucial strategies.
Think of the 7 wastes and how they can be applied to sustainability. Examples might include:
Excess inventory creates more facilities for storage, which increases our carbon footprint.
An overabundance of fuel use from commuting to work every day has severely negative impacts on the environment.
Food packaging in plastic material is not only damaging the environment and disrupting our ecosystems, but the excess trash from food deliveries adds no value to the consumer.
When you look at the world through a Process Improvement lens, better sustainability is achieved, where both people and the environment benefit.
Moresteam's mission is to help make important things work better. Today, there is nothing more important than improving the health of our planet. We are proud to partner with organizations that share our mission and focus on creating sustainable processes with a healthy and positive long-term impact.
By completing Lean Six Projects at their organization, our partners have successfully managed to reduce their carbon footprint by lowering energy consumption, minimizing waste, and outlining future sustainability efforts.
EY produces a forward-thinking, halfhour- long podcast, Sustainability Matters. It covers topics pertaining to the impact, risk, and opportunities that climate change continues to have on businesses.
Notre Dame is dedicated to creating a green campus through sustainable efforts and thorough strategic planning.
IISE boasts an impressive sustainability division, with over 2,000 members merging the importance of environmentally-friendly ideals with the knowledge and expertise of industrial engineering.
Making sustainable change doesn't have to be overwhelming. By utilizing the process improvement tools of lean six sigma today, your organization will see long-lasting green efforts tomorrow.
What can you do? How can your actions positively impact the planet? Luckily, there are many small things that we can implement today that will leave a lasting impact on the earth.
Whether you're going green in the workplace or looking to make sustainable changes in your everyday life, here are three things you can do today to eliminate non-value-add steps to improve the planet:
Learn more about how MoreSteam and Lean Six Sigma are helping improve sustainable efforts.
MoreSteam training grants support non-profit organizations
Are you a non-profit organization working to improve your processes to become greener? We'd like to help! Apply for a MoreSteam training grant for online Lean Six Sigma training.
What's required? You will need to identify a specific Green Lean Six Sigma project during the application process. Upon completion, we ask that you share the lessons learned so that other organizations can help make the world a little greener too.
