Green is green. That’s the central message corporate environmental champions need to convey to executive decision makers to get the green light for green projects.

By that I mean, products, processes and facilities designed to conserve resources typically save money, reduce costs and in some cases generate revenue. That’s why I named my book, “Lean and Green: Profit for your Workplace and the Environment.”

As I have written in the past, and emphasized again in a recent podcast, executives are completely - and properly - motivated by shareholder value. The best way to communicate green ideas - better product design, more efficient facilities, better process in manufacturing, even natural landscaping - is to demonstrate how they’ll save money, or increase revenue. And measuring financial benefits - and the financial risks of not being proactive in this area - can now be done with standard accounting models.

For a good example, read an article written last year by Bill Roberts, who now writes regularly for TFI, about Texas Instruments’ latest wafer fab. Through sustainable (green) design, TI expects to cut yearly operating costs as much as $4 million. That’s how TI’s green champions sold the idea to the decision makers.

Once green initiatives are adopted and implemented it is also imperative to measure the improvements so executives - and everyone - can see the savings. Then they will be motivated to continue in the lean and green direction.

The central truth about lean and green: What’s good for the environment is good for profits.

Write and tell us your experience in convincing executives to go green

Posted by Pamela Gordon, August 3rd, 2007

Filed to Environment, Lean Practices

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