Roughly a quarter of global emissions come from industry, meaning the sustainability of this sector has a lasting impact on the global ecosystem. To reduce this environmental impact, manufacturers need to focus on how they can improve operations to become more sustainable.
This involves reducing greenhouse gas emissions and minimizing waste, both of which will help limit the effects of climate change. But this isn't the only benefit — manufactures who invest in energy efficiency and sustainable operations often see productivity improvements as well.
Many companies' sustainability initiatives are working towards a goal of net-zero emissions, which requires an extensive road map and detailed progress monitoring. Manufacturers can start with some easy wins: cutting down on CO2 emissions within their production processes, moving away from burning fossil fuels when possible, and identifying what machining processes consume the most energy.
From there manufacturing companies and machine shops should work to upgrade old machinery to newer, more efficient models and invest in high-quality tools that have longer lifespans. The next step is to adopt circular manufacturing practices — how can materials and products be reduced, reused, and/or recycled?
Then manufacturers should extend their sustainability commitments to other areas, such as using environmentally conscious suppliers and considering the most sustainable transport methods. Industrial companies must keep sustainability initiatives at the top of mind and complete due diligence to meet these goals and reduce negative environmental impact.