Lean-Green models for eco-efficient and sustainable production

Lean-Green is a concept that associates value aggregation and efficiency in operational and environmental terms. This concept arises as a corollary effect of companies’ challenges for rethinking their goals and strategies in order to add more value while contributing to social equity and prevent env...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Abreu, M. Florentina (author)
Other Authors: Alves, Anabela Carvalho (author), Moreira, Francisco (author)
Format: article
Language:eng
Published: 2017
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1822/48233
Country:Portugal
Oai:oai:repositorium.sdum.uminho.pt:1822/48233
Description
Summary:Lean-Green is a concept that associates value aggregation and efficiency in operational and environmental terms. This concept arises as a corollary effect of companies’ challenges for rethinking their goals and strategies in order to add more value while contributing to social equity and prevent environmental burdens. The eco-efficiency concept translates the idea of “creating more with less”, in order to reduce ecological impacts and resource intensity. Lean is a strategy that encompasses a wide variety of management practices, in an integrated system, to streamline business processes, minimize waste and improve financial performance. When Lean and Green are associated in the so called Lean-Green link, many of those savings also result in environmental benefits. This paper reports the ongoing effort to provide models for the Lean-Green integration. A comparative analysis of the few models identified is provided, and the most frequently used KPI acknowledged. Findings show the existence of a limited number of Lean-Green models, published from 2012, denoting a narrow breadth of dissemination. The fundamental goal of Lean-Green models was mostly found to be related to improve the systems productivity while reducing the environmental impacts. Integrate Lean-Green initiatives constitute a valuable approach to sustain and endure a greener industrial activity.