Green

Sustainability Means Longevity

By Mike Botta

Perhaps getting lost in all of the economic gloom and doom over the past couple of years has been the fact that the drive toward sustainability in manufacturing has not diminished.

At bad times, it is perhaps easy for some companies to abandon efforts that take time and effort, but don’t necessarily lead to immediate revenue.

Big mistake!

Companies, especially large corporations, have continued to implement “green” requirements that prohibit their buyers from doing business with companies that can’t prove they have adopted acceptable sustainability programs.

Key Retailer Stays Focused

Take Walmart for example. 

On the woodworking front, the big retailer has set a goal to “eliminate wood from our supply chain that comes from unwanted sources by 2013.”

In order to meet their goal, Walmart partnered with the World Wildlife Fund’s Global Forest and Trade Network (GFTN), which aims to eliminate illegal logging and improve the management of threatened forests.

The agreement Walmart signed with GFTN requires the retailer to meet time-based deliverables that include conducting a preliminary baseline assessment of the wood product supply chain and adopting a wood purchasing policy.

Walmart says that it will work with GFTN to get suppliers to improve the traceability and transparency of the retailer’s wood and paper supply chain, and subsequently move toward increased sustainable sourcing.

Now is the Time

That may sound like a daunting task to a woodworking company that has been squeaking by for the past couple of years, trying to hold down costs and keep the doors open amid declining business and decreased receivables.

But there is probably no better time to jump into the game and prepare for future growth, even if it means spending some overtime developing a plan for future growth.

The sustainability move is not going to go away. If anything, it is likely to become part of more big contacts going forward.

So, it might be worth Googling the words “sustainable woodworking” which will deliver numerous examples of woodworking companies that have adopted acceptable sustainable practices along with companies that provide help in that area.

Certification May Help

One service company – Sustainable Solutions Corporation – recently notified Modern Woodworking that it established a certification unit to help companies prove that they are in compliance with the latest directives.

While we are not reviewing or recommending any particular company or service, it is important to note that the sustainability trend likely is here to stay and might be something to consider if you have not done so already.

In the case of Sustainable Solutions, the Royersford, PA, company spun off its certification division in the summer into GreenCircle Certified, LLC, an independent, third- party company that will certify sustainability claims for businesses and organizations.

According to the company, the new division “will substantiate sustainability claims in the following areas: Recycled content, rapidly renewable resource content, closed loop product, sustainable manufacturing practices, life cycle assessment optimized, carbon footprint reduction, and renewable energy use.”

Do Some Research

Its system includes an evaluation of product, process or operation. The evaluation can also be based on completion of a product life cycle assessment. It may be applied to organizations, including Walmart suppliers, to validate sustainability claims, the company said.

There’s a wealth of information online about this and other companies that can help with sustainability efforts. 

If nothing else, it’s worth the time to do some research and consider options in that direction.

If not, you may be left out of some big opportunities going forward.