Life-Cycle Planning
Motorola
According to an article in Fortune magazine, Motorola is the "gold standard of corporate training." Motorola sees training as critical to increasing quality and productivity. For every dollar spent on training, the company estimates a return of $30 in productivity gains within 3 years. From 1987 to 1992, Motorola nearly doubled productivity and earnings, while reducing defects. Motorola spent 3.6% of payroll on training in 1992. They currently require 40 hours of training per employee each year, and will increase that figure to 160 hours by 2000. William Wiggenhorn, president of Motorola University, commented, "When you buy a piece of equipment, you set aside a percentage for maintenance. Shouldn't you do the same for people?" Training is part of the team approach at Motorola, and the company has found that training is most effective when team members are trained together. Motorola employees are encouraged to use the information they gain in training to constructively comment on the way things are done, and to strive to find better ways of doing them.
Source: Joe Romm, Lean and Clean Management
Ford Taurus
Team members do not need to come from within the company only. Ford Taurus provides an example of the benefits of brining in outside experts. In designing the Taurus, Ford brought in insurance company experts to help identify car designs that would minimize repair costs, and legal and safety advisors to plan for trends in safety laws. The Taurus has turned out to be one of the best-selling cars ever, in part because of its strong safety ranking, which is higher than comparable Japanese and American cars.
Source: Joe Romm, Lean and Clean Management
The Dow Chemical Company
Dow has a broadly defined corporate goal, as well as material specific goals to reduce more than 17 specific compounds. the broad goal is as follows:Our goal is to eliminate all injuries, prevent adverse environmental and health impacts, reduce wastes and emissions and promote resource conservation at every stage of the life cycle of our products. We will report our progress and be responsive to the public.
Source: Environment, Health & Safety 1993 Report, Dow Chemical Company.
PPG Industries, Inc.
PPG Industries, Inc. sets annual goals for reducing total and hazardous wastes. In 1993, their goal was to reduce North American waste generation by 25,000 tons, or 11%. Each unit establishes their own goals: For example, the PPG coatings operation had a 1993 goal to reduce hazardous waste by 2,280 tons, nearly 16%.
PPG also encourages energy conservation goals for each business unit and location. For example, the Hoogez and, Netherlands fiber glass operation has a goal to reduce energy use per ton of production 20% by 2000.
Source: PPG Industries, Inc. Environment, Health & Safety Annual Report, 1992.
Coors Brewing Company
Coors established 10 specific goals related to municipal solid waste in 1993:
- Increase glass post consumer recycled content to over 30%.
- Increase aluminum post consumer recycled content to 70%.
- Increase corrugated post consumer content to 94%.
- Have a 20% post consumer recycled content for claycoated secondary packaging.
- Have 15% post consumer recycled content for composite can packages.
- Remove wet strength chemicals from composite packaging to increase recyclability.
- Continue to compost scrap wood.
- Source reduce all packaging where functionally feasible.
- Expand internal paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum recycling programs.
- Maintain 90%+ recycled content of point of sales material. Source: Coors Brewing Company.
Xerox: Employee Communication
"Employee communication has immense benefits for any company. As employees become better informed and educated on environmental issues, they are a most important agent for change. Motivated employees avoid waste and save money for the company. Well- informed employees also provide effective communication to customers and the general public. Employee communication initiatives at Xerox include management communiqués from the CEO, an Environmental Health and Safety newsletter, and articles focusing on the environment in employee publications. To reinforce the company's environmental commitment, these publications are printed on recycled paper. Additional communication channels include the company's extensive electronic mail network, employee forums, and videos. Regular Earth Day celebrations at different locations also reinforce employee communication and involvement."
Source: Abhay K. Bhushan and James C. MacKenzie, Xerox Corporation, in Total Quality Environmental Management, Spring 92.
