Getting the most from your membership

Some companies may join the Club simply to benefit from expert training courses and a web database of guidance and data on a wide range of EcoDesign and Product Stewardship topics.  

Many companies will want to join the Club to embed EcoDesign and Product Stewardship process and procedures into their New Product Design process to:

  • Manage compliance with product environmental regulatory requirements;
  • Gain business benefits from cost-effective EcoDesign improvements;
  • Generate the required compliance documentation for certification to the IEC 60601-1-9 International Standard.

In this case we recommend companies should consider implementing the following actions at the outset.  Based on our previous experience of running Best Practice Clubs, we are 100% confident that companies who follow all ENVIRON’s recommendations and work through the EcoDesign Best Practice Club will gain valuable business benefits. Indeed, we will refund the membership fee for any company who follows all ENVIRON’s recommendations and actively participates in the Club and still feels at the end of their membership that they have not gained valuable business benefits.

Gain senior management commitment

Commitment and support from senior management at the company is vital to ensuring that EcoDesign and Product Stewardship processes and procedures are successfully integrated into the New Product Design process. This should include the CEO, Managing Director, R&D Director or Marketing Director.

Senior management may decide to document their commitment in the form of an EcoDesign policy statement along the following lines:

Our products impact on the environment during their manufacture, distribution, use and at end-of-life. We are committed to minimizing the environmental impacts and associated costs of our products across these life cycle stages. We recognize that products which require fewer inputs of materials and utilities and which generate less pollution and waste during life will reduce business cost and benefit the environment.

We will integrate EcoDesign procedures into our new product development processes to ensure that we:

  • Gain a better understanding of the life cycle environmental impacts of our products, including gathering information from relevant suppliers where possible
  • Set EcoDesign targets to minimize significant environmental impacts where possible, taking account of other product requirements and business requirements
  • Evaluate final product designs against the EcoDesign targets and seek to address any deviations in future designs
  • Provide information to customers on how to (install,) use (and maintain) our products to minimize environmental impacts and associated costs during expected service life
  • Provide recycling instructions for safe handling and treatment of our products at end-of-life

The EcoDesign policy statement could be incorporated into an update of an existing policy (e.g. environmental policy, EHS policy, sustainability policy, quality policy etc) or published as a separate EcoDesign policy. Senior Management may decide to communicate the policy statement to all staff together with a brief covering letter explaining that the company is putting the policy statement into practice by joining the ENVIRON EcoDesign Best Practice Club.

Appoint an EcoDesign team

Implementing EcoDesign targets can require action from a wide range of business functions. To ensure that EcoDesign targets are evaluated and supported across the business, senior management should appoint an EcoDesign team comprising representatives from:

  • Design
  • Purchasing
  • Manufacturing
  • Marketing
  • Quality
  • Environment and health and safety

Up to four team members should attend the one-day introduction workshop. Team members should log into the subsequent detailed webinars on specific issues, as appropriate to their role and responsibilities in the company. The team should hold periodic conference calls / meetings as required to:

  • Integrate the EcoDesign and Product Stewardship process and procedures into existing New Product Design process at the company
  • Apply the EcoDesign and Product Stewardship process and procedures to at least one of the company’s products during the Club workshops and webinars
  • Prepare a short (e.g. two pages) case study to explain the worked example, its significant life cycle impacts, the EcoDesign targets that were set to reduce these impacts, and progress towards their achievement. ENVIRON will provide guidance on how to write the case study and also provide examples of similar case studies that ENVIRON has produced at other companies.

Appoint an EcoDesign champion

Senior management should appoint an EcoDesign champion to coordinate the team and provide progress reports as required. The EcoDesign champion should also represent the company on the Steering Group, to provide feedback to ENVIRON on the structure, content and delivery of the Club. Steering group meetings will be held by conference call to minimise time commitments.

For further information, please contact Dr Aidan Turnbull
Head of WEEE, RoHS & EcoDesign on +44 (0)1225 748420