Page 73 - Demo

專欄文章6 (原文)｜Lean as an Enabler of Sustainability711.The efficiency link: Waste reduction as resource efficiencyA t i t s h e a r t , L e a n i s a b o u t eliminating was te. Pro ces ses are analyzed to distinguish between valueadding and non-value-adding activities, with the goal of minimizing everything that does not directly contribute to customer value.This principle translates seamlessly into sustainability. Every form of Lean waste has an environmental dimension: Overproduction not only ties up capital but also consumes raw materials, energy, and water for products that may never be used – and ultimately need to be disposed of. Waiting often leads to machines idling unnecessarily, wasting electricity, heating or cooling. Transport over long distances means additional fuel consumption and emissions. Inventory requires extra packaging, storage space, and sometimes cooling or heating – all consuming resources. Movement in inefficient workplaces increases energy use and can cause product damage. Defects and rework consume double the resources for the same output. Over-engineering means products with unnecessary features that require more materials and energy.S e e n t h r o u g h t h e L e a n l e n s , resource efficiency is simply another dimension of waste elimination. For example, reducing changeover times on machines not only improves flexibility and productivity but also lowers energy use. Shorter transport distances reduce costs and CO2 emissions simultaneously.2.Strategy deployment: Aligning sustainability with business prioritiesMany sustainability strategies fail because they remain abstract and detached from daily operations. Lean provides tools for translating high-level goals into concrete, measurable targets at every level of the organization.Methods such as Hoshin Kanri or Objectives and Key Results (OKR) ensure that strategic priorities are systematically broken down into department-level and team-level objectives. This approach is crucial for sustainability: Procurement can be tasked with building a more sustainable supplier base. R&D can design products using less material or ensuring recyclability. Production can focus on energy and material efficiency. HR can integrate sustainability i n t o t r a i n i n g a n d e m p l o y e e development.