An Introduction to Product Stewardship
Discover the importance of product stewardship and how to implement a product stewardship program in your organization effectively.
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Discover the importance of product stewardship and how to implement a product stewardship program in your organization effectively.
Product stewardship refers to the responsible and sustainable handling of products throughout their entire lifecycle. This approach to Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) causes companies to keep a closer eye on their products and the materials used to manufacture them. This includes ethical sourcing, responsible handling, and sustainable disposal, which all help companies reduce waste and carbon footprint while improving overall operations.
Embracing product stewardship is the first step to introducing safe, ethical, and sustainable practices in your organization. This reduces waste, which is great for the environment and for any business, as it reduces costs while improving productivity.
Companies recognize the need to integrate responsible practices into their product lifecycle, which means they’re paying closer attention to how products are sourced, designed, and handled. Through this, consumers and manufacturers get the most out of their products throughout the entire lifecycle. Practicing product stewardship also allows businesses to gain a competitive edge by building customer trust and fostering customer loyalty.
Product stewardship may look different for every company. This is because practices should be tailored to the materials and products the company handles. However, there are a few key elements of product stewardship that you must remember when implementing the practice.
Sustainable design is the cornerstone of product stewardship. By incorporating eco-friendly materials and reducing waste in the manufacturing process, companies can minimize their environmental footprint. Additionally, consumers are more likely to support products that align with their values, making sustainable design a strategic advantage.
Maintaining a transparent supply chain not only makes product stewardship easier but it also helps in establishing more trust between the company and consumers. Part of this includes how companies must collaborate with suppliers who share their commitment to ethical and sustainable practices while observing clear communication and traceability throughout the supply chain. This helps build credibility and trust among consumers.
Products must be disposed of properly when they reach the end-stage of their life. This reduces the waste entering landfills and polluting our environment, while also offering an opportunity for companies to recycle. By implementing recycling programs and encouraging responsible product disposal, companies can find it easier to not only minimize environmental impact, but also demonstrate a commitment to the entire product lifecycle.
Aside from including the key elements in your stewardship program, it’s also critical to follow the best practices in product stewardship. This makes the entire process flow smoother, increasing your chances of a successful and sustainable product stewardship program.
Some of the best practices for product stewardship include the following:
Perform a thorough life cycle assessment regularly to understand the environmental impact of the product from raw material extraction to disposal.
Stay informed and comply with relevant environmental, health, and safety regulations in the regions where the product is manufactured, used, and disposed of.
Collaborate with suppliers to ensure they adhere to sustainable and responsible practices, including ethical sourcing of raw materials.
Communicate transparently with stakeholders, including customers, about the product’s impact and the steps taken to mitigate environmental and health risks.
Integrate sustainability into product design, considering factors like energy efficiency, recyclability, and the use of environmentally friendly materials.
Mitti (by SafetyCulture) is one of the premier platforms for large organizations and enterprises looking to establish a good product stewardship program. This platform allows you to set goals, conduct audits with the use of checklists, and gather key data and analytics to boost your product stewardship practices and streamline the company’s entire workflow!
You can use this digital solution to do the following:
Stay on top of your product stewardship program by setting achievable sustainability goals and monitoring your progress with them through the data gathering and analytics tools
Ensure compliance and manage your supply chains by conducting audits through the use of smart checklists
Document production and quality checks with photos and videos for transparency
Empower frontline workers to report issues or bottlenecks found during inspections and assign actions to fix the problem immediately
Ensure all employees are well-versed in product stewardship practices by conducting comprehensive training programs
Communicate your sustainability initiatives with the whole organization instantly through Heads Up
Access data easily as you can manage all assets, equipment, and inspection information from one platform
