Manufacturing industry undergoing rapid sustainability transformation, says Schneider Electric and MIT Technology Review report

Schneider Electric, has partnered with the world-renowned, independent media company MIT Technology Review, revealing a coordinated push in the direction of sustainability within the manufacturing sector, with a long-term goal of total carbon visibility across the entire supply chain.

Titled ‘Equipment management and sustainability‘, the joint research reportedly reveals that leading manufacturers are shifting to making sustainability the goal of process improvements rather than merely a by-product of responsible equipment management.

Frédéric Godemel, EVP of Power Systems & Services at Schneider Electric, believes that according to the report, manufacturing is transitioning from incidental to inattentional sustainability.

“Sustainability is no longer a happy coincidence; now, the illustrious pairing of efficient equipment management and purposeful green principles sees manufacturing set on a course for effective decarbonization in the long term.,” he said.

According to MIT Technology Review, some key takeaways from the report include:

1. Modernizing manufacturing processes reduces the amount of equipment, energy, and raw materials used in production and can significantly cut CO2 emissions.
2. The factory floor can act as an important “command-and-control” point for a larger decarbonization journey, particularly now as the sustainability emphasis of firms expands to include Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions.
3. The key to overcoming sustainable manufacturing hurdles is to increase access to visibility through data analytics and digitally connected supply chains.  
4. The circular economy is a progressive journey of many steps, which begins with viable business plans for managing materials and energy in the immediate term, and revamping “design-for-sustainability” manufacturing processes for long-term circularity.
5. The primary goal of accelerating decarbonization in manufacturing processes is to increase efficiency, which requires both leaner processes and manufacturing

The report is available for downland at: https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/05/23/1052590/equipment-management-and-sustainability/