In our journey towards sustainability, understanding and addressing carbon emissions is crucial. Recent carbon reduction plans reveal a startling truth: while Scope 1 and 2 emissions (direct emissions and purchased energy) are those we can most easily influence, they only account for around 5% of total emissions. It's therefore imperative that we look to address Scope 3 emissions, as they dominate the carbon footprint of most organizations.
Diving deeper into Scope 3 emissions, we find that 'Purchased Goods & Services' often constitute the largest portion, followed by transportation (both upstream and downstream). Our approach is to address scope 3 through an early 'screening' activity looking purely at spend based data. Whilst this method is less accurate it is much quicker to achieve, and gives the hotspot areas that need further work. Going through this process it becomes clear to all involved the direct correlation between carbon and cost. For every invoice paid there is an associated carbon impact, making cost reduction a powerful tool for carbon reduction.
When mapping emissions against Net Zero goals, it becomes clear that focusing solely on Scope 1 and 2 emissions leaves organizations well short of their targets. To avoid a steep, reduction in emissions in the final years before 2045 (the goal required by the NHS), it's essential to address Scope 3 emissions early on.
This is where product design becomes crucial. Research by The Ellen MacArthur Foundation shows that a staggering 80% of a product's environmental impact is determined during the design stage. As such it's a fundamental responsibility for designers to ensure the products being developed have environmental considerations made at every stage.
At Pd-m, we integrate sustainability considerations into the product development process, balancing environmental impact with commercial viability. By adopting circular design principles that support the circular economy, we aim to create products that are not only profitable but also environmentally responsible.
To gain a more comprehensive understanding of these concepts and how they can be applied to your organization's sustainability efforts, we encourage you to watch our detailed video series on this topic.