Sustainable Supply Chain & Operations

Sustainable Product Design based on Nature’s Principles

Nature offers a wealth of knowledge about efficiency, resilience, use of materials and adaptability. In her book Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature (1997), Janine M. Benyus described how we can study nature as a source of inspiration for human designs and solutions.

Nature’s Principles help us look at products and production processes differently. How can a product combine several functions? Can we achieve the same or even more with less material and energy? Which materials can be reused or become part of a cycle? And how can products and processes adapt to changing circumstances?

We do not need to invent a completely new solution for every challenge. Nature has billions of years of experience in developing, adapting and using available resources and energy efficiently. That knowledge inspires new products, materials and production processes.

Our Biomimicry Product Designers help you translate Nature’s Principles into concrete design choices and sustainable innovations.

Optimize Sales and Distribution Planning to Decarbonize

Smarter planning, more efficient transport

Sales and distribution planning is about availability, reliable delivery times, efficient logistics and healthy cash flow. By also including energy use and CO₂ emissions in planning, new opportunities arise to further optimize the supply chain.

How can transport movements be reduced or combined more smartly? Which means of transport best suit a route? Where are the opportunities for zero-emission transport? And how can warehouses, stock levels and distribution flows be set up so that energy and materials are used efficiently?

By including these factors in existing sales and distribution models, different scenarios can be calculated for time, cost, energy use and CO₂ emissions. This shows which measures are possible right away and which require longer preparation or collaboration with logistics partners.

Firm of the Future helps you integrate sustainability into your sales and distribution planning and translate logistics choices into more efficient transport and lower CO₂ emissions.

Design and implement Sustainable Procurement and Sourcing Solutions

Making sustainability concrete in procurement

Procurement plays an important role in achieving sustainability ambitions. By including sustainability in supplier selection, contracts and purchasing conditions, organizations can steer on CO₂ emissions, circularity, use of materials and social aspects, for example.

For public organizations, Socially Responsible Commissioning and Procurement (MVOI) provides an important framework for this. In the business community, too, sustainable procurement is increasingly becoming part of the purchasing process and of collaboration with suppliers.

But how do you determine what is actually more sustainable? Which criteria do you include in a tender or contract? What data do you ask suppliers for, and how do you assess different products and solutions in an objective, comparable way?

Firm of the Future helps procurement organizations translate sustainability targets into concrete criteria, specifications and agreements with suppliers. This makes sustainable procurement practical, measurable and part of the regular purchasing process.