Setting sustainability targets

Abstract

One could say that product development is unsustainable by nature. However, during innovation processes there are many opportunities for more sustainable practices. Although enterprises and design agencies might feel the urge to contribute in this field, it is a complex issue to deal with. There is no step-by-step approach, no guideline that is useful for every case, and no method that can be blindly applied to in every innovation process. Many design agencies and enterprises are faced with difficulties in translating their ambitions into clear targets. Making your ambitions explicit by formulating sustainability targets is especially important when other parties are involved in the innovation process. Explicit sustainability targets could be a key element in reaching levels of ambition toward sustainability, for both entrepreneurs as well as designers. So far, only limited research has been done to understand the role of sustainability targets within this field. Not much is known about the process in which sustainability targets are set, the actual formulation, and the way they are used throughout new product development processes. Therefore, the aim of this research is to gain more insight in the translations of sustainability ambitions into workable targets. This research is conducted in cooperation with BNO and Syntens and contributes to the knowledgebase of the ‘Groene Offerte’ - a BNO initiative. The methodology employed in this study is of qualitative nature. The study consists of a literature review and evaluation of twelve sustainable projects executed by Dutch design agencies namely, Bluelarix, BPO, BTM, Butterfly Works, Fabrique, IDEAL&CO, LSDP, Npk design, Spark, Springtime, Waacs, and We Are Perspective. These cases were selected to assure a broad sample, in order to increase diversity of insights. Findings were generated by conducting semi-structured interviews with representatives of these design agencies. For each company one or two representatives were interviewed, with varying roles within their respective agency. The cases were analyzed individually as well as compared to each other to be able to identify themes, and to gain insights into the role of ambition levels of the individual agencies as well as into general tendencies in the design industry. The first research question is a description of the focus area related to sustainable development per individual design agency. Per agency the focus on the challenges linked to people, planet and profit aspects, is explained based on their general strategies and/or by discussing a detailed design process. From these combined individual descriptions insight was generated on the second research question; in what way are design agencies engaged in achieving positive social and environmental impact. In order to describe engagement in sustainability, seven themes were extracted from the data: 1) Employee Commitment, Acquisition & Initiatives, Client-based Projects, Tools & Procedures, Knowledge Network, Resource Investments, External Communication. Throughout the interviews and the analysis of the projects described it became clear that sustainability targets are seldom formulated in a brief. Sustainability targets are developed throughout the design process and are not formalized but are directly considered and evaluated during decision processes. In client-based projects both client and designer can assume a proactive role in emphasizing sustainability targets during the design process. If sustainability ambitions are communicated before the initiation of any innovation project, they are always only giving direction to the focus of the design efforts. Target formulation and securing these targets, is never made explicit. However, on the bright side, due to the open character of the design brief in innovation projects with external design agency involvement, there is much room for the design agency to realize their own sustainability ambition. In the cases analyzed in this research assignment no pattern could be found of either the client or the agency being the dominant force behind addressing sustainability targets.