The circular economy

The benefits of reverse logistics

Reverse logistics refers to the process of planning and managing the return of consumer goods (end users) to the manufacturer or distributor for recovery, repair, recycling, or even disposal. Reverse logistics is therefore a stage of the supply chain that follows the delivery stage. Reverse logistics has as one of its objectives lessening the environmental impact of corporate operations. As a result, businesses create processes and products that are less harmful to the environment from the beginning.

Reverse logistics is increasingly becoming a key component of your business. By maximizing material reuse, it is a collection of policies and procedures to manage the return of things or goods for repair, reuse, or processing at a reasonable cost. Companies can profit from reverse logistics implementation in the following ways:

• Reduce the environmental impact of your organization;
• Improve the company’s image and customer satisfaction;
• Creation of new markets;
• Controlling inventory;
• Reduce costs and increase profits;
• Protecting against procurement risks;
• Reduce the risk of raw material shortages;
• Ensure recycling and reuse of raw materials;
• Generate new revenues through rental and repair of goods.

The automotive company Vinfast, which has established a new business model where they will rend the batteries of the vehicles, is an example of the benefits of reverse logistics. By recycling the batteries at the end of their useful lives, this will also assure battery maintenance and, over time, reduce the extraction of raw materials like lithium.(https://vinfastauto.ca/en/battery-subscription).

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Ecodesign : an inevitable revolution

During their entire life cycle, from cradle to grave, all products have an impact on the environment, including the use of raw materials and natural resources, manufacture, packaging, transportation, disposal, and recycling. More than 80% of a product’s environmental impact is decided at the design stage.

Ecodesign is a growing sense of responsibility and awareness of our impact on the environment. Consumer values have been questioned as a result of greater environmental consciousness, overcrowding, industrialization, and an expanded environmental population. It is critical to seek out new building solutions that are environmentally friendly and result in lower material and energy use. Second Cycle has created a methodology to provide operational direction on how to determine whether and which ecodesign standards are applicable for a certain product.

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Life cycle assessment : a winning strategy

Life-cycle analysis is a methodology for examining environmental impacts associated with all stages of a commercial product’s, processes, or service’s life cycle. This give the opportunity to study the alternatives and try to reduce this pressure on the environment. For example, in the case of a manufactured product, environmental consequences are examined from the extraction and processing of raw materials, through manufacturing, distribution, and use of the product, to the recycling or final disposal f the materials that make it up.

When conducting a life cycle analysis, the most important thing is to learn the right reflexes to become responsible consumers, more attentive consumers who consider both ethical, environmental and economic criteria. Indeed, thanks to an organization like Second Cycle, a company can realize the life cycle analysis of a product that it manufactures or a service that it proposes to its customers. This allows it to identify the stages of the life cycle of a product or a service that have an influence on the environment, as well as the changes that can be made. The company thus considers all aspects that can intervene throughout the life cycle of its product, starting with its creation. This method is called eco-design, eco-design or sustainable design.

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How to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions

Industrial sources of greenhouse gas emissions include manufacturing, food processing, mining, and building. Direct emissions are produced by a variety of processes, including on-site combustion of fossil fuels for heat and power, non-energy usage of fossil fuels, and chemical processes used in the manufacturing of iron, steel, and cement. In addition, the centrally generated electricity that industry consumes emits indirect emissions. The industrial sector accounts for about a large portion of total electricity sales in Canada.

A GHG emissions reduction strategy can follow the following path :

• Calculate the carbon footprint of your activities;
• Create metrics to track the progress of the plan;
• Define the strategy and the orientations. The company will then be able to develop a reduction and/or absorption strategy.

Energy efficiency, fuel switching, combined heat and power, renewable energy, and more efficient use and recycling of materials are just a few of the ways the industrial sector may minimize greenhouse gas emissions. Many industrial processes lack a low-emission alternative, necessitating carbon capture and storage in the long run to reduce emissions.

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Set-up eco-responsible practices in your company

As we approach 2022, there is higher awareness of climate change than ever before, and the question for businesses is no longer whether they should adopt greener methods, but how they can do so while still making a profit. In fact, more and more businesses across all industries are pledging to reduce their environmental impact by establishing environmentally responsible workplaces. Through years of experience, Second Cycle has developed over the years complete and adaptable solutions for the implantation of environmentally responsible practices within the organization.

The Second Cycle approach is presented from four angles :

• GHG and energy optimization;
• Residual materials management;
• Life cycle analysis;
• Eco-responsible procurement

Eco-responsibility is defined as the daily adoption and promotion of responsible activities to collectively improve the quality of life of individuals and protect the environment. Compagnies that focus on reducing pressure on natural resources and adopting a proactive approach pressure on natural resources and adopting a proactive approach to sustainable development are leaders in their sectors. In an increasingly competitive economic environment, the return on investment required for such a transition is measured first in terms of revenue and also on the effects of reputation, brand image and market influence that can have a significant beneficial impact and market influence that can have a significant beneficial impact. Not to mention the growing number of sophisticated shareholders who are looking at a company’s environmental footprint as well as its financial returns before investing.

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