More and more manufacturing companies are now realising the importance of incorporating sustainability within their overall business strategies
BY NIRANJAN MIDHOLKAR
Anil Kumbhar,assistant GM – engineering, Voltas, saya that his company believes that Green products are energy efficient products which protect environment from Global warming and Ozone depletion. “While deciding on HVAC product strategy, Voltas focuses on three important factors for driving sustainability; energy efficiency, Low Global warming (GWP) and Zero ozone depletion potential (ODP).
George Rajkumar, head of strategy, Grundfos Pumps India Pvt Ltd, believes that companies which adopt green practices are able to bring down the operating expenses. “Going green creates a cleaner and healthier work environment. It increases the overall efficiency and productivity. A green tag also has a positive impact on the brand value of the company.”
Rajkumar identifies reducing energy consumption related to the company’s activities and reducing customers’ energy consumption are the most important aspects in the effort to realize Grundfos’ ambition to not emit more CO2 than it did in 2008, despite the economic growth. It has also committed to reduce its total water consumption by 50% of 2008 level by 2025 and to improve the quality of discharged water aiming for zero impact on the surrounding environment. Its production facility has a Gold Certification by the Indian Green Building Council Green Factories Rating System.
PJM Khan, GM, business development & performance support, Cooper Corporation, offers an interesting perspective. He says: “If going green means that you are able to achieve greater acceptance in the marketplace through differentiation – that’s a great reason to do so. It also makes sense in addressing market demand for more eco-friendly products and more energy efficient products.” Khan identifies future emission norms, comparative advantage products and lean manufacturing practices as the key drivers for going green.
Umesh Rao, founder & CEO, Vector Projects (I) Pvt Ltd, believes that sustainability requires both top-down and bottom-up involvement of all individuals in an organisation to sustain it. “Education to disseminate, buyers to specify, government to encourage and international communities to share at greater depth and speed will augur well for it,” he says. Rao insists that manufacturers must relentlessly pursue a sustainable program whereby all the products must be free from toxins, free from inefficient energy production/consumption and free from illegal supplies.
Of course, there are several challenges in going green and companies are taking measures in addressing these issues. For example, Rajkumar of Grundfos says that there is limited availability of suitable transport partners who are aware / concerned about minimising the CO2 emissions, measure the same and have fuel efficient vehicles. “So, we use express cargo partners with vehicles that consume less fuel and emit less carbon.” Bhatnagar of Essar Steel says that the challenge is very high cost of pollution control equipment and non-availability of indigenous technology for high load emission control systems.
Turakhia identifies inbuilt resistance to change, lack of awareness and training, human negligence and wrong attitude as the key challenges. “We’ve planned programs where we educate and train people about efficient usage of resources and maximum recycling and reuse of resources.”
Mukesh of Tata Steel says that thinking beyond our generation while exercising options and pursuing strategies for going Green apparently looks expensive with short term outlook because only direct costs are taken into account. “We have limited tools to asucts