An integrated lean and green approach for improving sustainability performance: a case study of a packaging manufacturing SME in the U.K.

Choudhary, Sonal; Nayak, Rakesh; Dora, Manoj; Mishra, Nishikant; Ghadge, Abhijeet

Abstract

Competitive landscape, informed consumers and stringent regulations have forced many manufacturing small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to focus on operational efficiency along with sustainability issues in recent years. While many manufacturing organisations have been taking lean initiatives for the past few years for operational excellence, an impulsive rush to adopt lean without a strategic deployment vision has led to scattered implementation of lean tools and projects without desired success. Many researchers and practitioners prescribe value stream mapping as a foundation for lean transformation initiatives; however, little empirical work is available on the symbiosis of lean and green paradigms to reap maximum benefits. This research, through a systematic methodology and a novel tool called Green Integrated Value Stream Mapping (GIVSM), integrates both paradigms in a case study on a U.K. packaging-manufacturing SME. Applying the GIVSM demonstrates that simultaneous deployment of lean and green paradigms have synergistic effect for improving both operational efficiency and environmental performance. In addition, continuous improvement framework with sustainable procurement is proposed to overcome the lean-green misalignments. This study also provides a guiding reference for practitioners to undertake similar improvement projects and identifies opportunities to expand this academic research on integrated lean-green approach into other industry sectors.

Citation

Choudhary, S., Nayak, R., Dora, M., Mishra, N., & Ghadge, A. (2019). An integrated lean and green approach for improving sustainability performance: a case study of a packaging manufacturing SME in the U.K. Production planning & control, 30(5-6), 353-368. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2018.1501811

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 13, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Mar 22, 2019
• Publication Date: Apr 26, 2019
• Deposit Date: Aug 8, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 4, 2019
• Journal: Production Planning and Control
• Print ISSN: 0953-7287
• Electronic ISSN: 1366-5871
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 30
• Issue: 5-6
• Pages: 353-368
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2018.1501811
• Keywords: Carbon footprint; Green manufacturing; Green waste; Lean manufacturing; Lean waste; Sustainability performance
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/972891
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09537287.2018.1501811
• Related Public URLs: http://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/124205/