Proteus has done considerable work for clients who are interested in migrating from old manufacturing methods and materials to new ones that recognize not only that the environment of the planet is increasingly fragile, but that large numbers of consumers respond favorably to those companies and products that truly demonstrate environmental sensitivity.
In this independent interview, four people at Proteus from four separate disciplines who have been most intimately involved in these initiatives, Kristen LaQuatra (Marketing Strategy), Kate McGuire (Production), Eric Nichols (Industrial Design) and Jess Perreault (Human Factors Engineering), discuss the movement and how companies are responding to its pulling power.
Let's begin at the most basic level. What's the terminology we should be using to describe this movement? Does "green" do the job?
Perreault: Actually, "sustainable" is better than "green". What we're basically talking about is manufacturing companies making a real, long-term commitment to sustainability.
And what exactly does that mean?
Perreault: It means that instead of just designing a product for its final use and to make money - of course it's a given that those are the objectives - it's more a function of considering the product from the very beginning and envisioning it all the way through until it's finished and designing it accordingly.
There are many different approaches that can be taken. Designing the product out of recycled materials is the most simple and obvious. But it can go all the way up to taking a careful, critical look at what materials you use, how much of them you use, how much waste you generate, how much your transportation damages the environment and where the product ends up at the end of its life. There are many different approaches you can commit to and companies are committing to different levels based on the costs associated with their efforts.
Nichols: The basics are about taking responsibility for what a company is introducing into the environment in all aspects, how to minimize and eliminate harmful substances or practices and, of course, maintaining a profit.
Let's stick with that. How real is the commitment to sustainability, both on the part of companies in general and Proteus' clients in particular?
LaQuatra: It's very real, and in part it has to do with companies achieving savings and increased profitability, contributing to environmental sustainability and improving people's lives - this is what is being called the "triple bottom line". It's financial, environmental and social responsibility. And I know too that on Wall Street, given the way companies are being evaluated now, commitment to sustainability issues and the environment is becoming increasingly important. I think that companies are recognizing the value of their efforts. It's becoming something that, if the company can profit from it - whether that means by reducing their waste, finding more abundant renewable materials or improving the environment, which in turn enhances their sales and profits - they're committed to it and engaged by it.
In terms of our clients, the interest in sustainability has a lot to do with relevance - our clients are looking for ways to be relevant to the consumers they serve. There's so much interest these days on the part of consumers in green initiatives. A lot of our clients, no matter what space they're in, are doing things about it. They don't want to appear outdated. So whether they're using it opportunistically or otherwise, they're making the commitment in a meaningful way.
Nichols: In a perfect world, companies could just redesign how their manufacturing and system operations take place, choose the latest methods that have minimal impact on our environment, create the most efficient and beneficial system, and everyone would win. Unfortunately, this really isn't a viable option for the majority. Most companies have to evaluate one part of their process at a time and change gradually. As they continue with their commitment and changes take place, their customer base responds positively to these efforts, and the companies realize many internal benefits as well.
When a client comes to Proteus and says they're interested in green and asks you to help them gauge its effectiveness, what do you tell them are some of the elements they should be looking at?
McGuire: From a packaging perspective, the first thing we tell them is that they need to look at the size of their packaging. Can it be reduced in any way? Next we would address the materials they're using. As an example, one of our clients was using blister packs and clamshells to package their products. We suggested molded pulp inserts as a more sustainable alternative. Molded pulp is made from 100% recycled material and is 100% recyclable versus petroleum-based plastics, which are far less environmentally friendly.
Perreault: There's another term that's getting thrown around a lot to describe the practices of many companies. It's called "lifecycle analysis". You go through and calculate certain things like carbon dioxide output, how much carbon dioxide might be absorbed, how much waste is generated, how much raw material is consumed, and what the overall impact of the product is on the environment. It's a complex process that can produce quantifiable results - a score that tabulates how your product performs relative to the rest of the products out there. It helps companies and actually forces them to create a timeline and a plan for elements in their manufacturing and marketing process, in particular their products and their packaging - from birth to death. "Rebirth" might be an even better term.
Nichols: It can also come down to product safety and making smarter choices. If you introduce a product that throws off harmful gases, or the material you use will never break down even though the life-cycle of the product is only a couple of years, maybe there's an alternative that makes more sense. The knowledge base is growing about the effects on the human body from the materials we have been commonly using, and new material choices are being developed all the time that are more environmentally responsible. Instead of just doing things as they have always done them, companies need to make educated choices to start their approach, and they need to appoint an internal champion to marshal support behind the initiatives.
Let's get more specific. Are there short- and long-term metrics clients can use to determine the value of their sustainability initiatives?
McGuire: Reducing packaging has a snowball effect that's easy to measure: you purchase less material, smaller packages allow you to fit more on a palette and therefore you save fuel because you need fewer trucks to transport the same amount of product. These kinds of things are very measurable and will directly affect the client's bottom line. In addition, there are calculators available that help measure the impact on the enviroment of simple material changes such as choosing recycled paperboard over virgin board. Among other things, these calculators will tell you how many trees you saved and how many pounds of greenhouse gases you prevented. When it comes to alternate materials choices such as molded pulp, PLA (a corn-based resin) and/or treeless paper, it gets a little trickier to measure. It's also difficult to quantify some of the internal changes clients may implement in their manufacturing processes.
Perreault: What we're working on internally at Proteus is an overall introduction and analysis of sustainability for our clients from a cause and effect point of view. I don't know that anyone out there has nailed this effectively yet. What we're attempting to do is introduce our clients to the whole picture. Our hope is that they'll adopt it from beginning to end. At the moment, most of them, like most companies in general, are taking bits of it - and that's a good start. But what we're trying to develop is a cohesive, quantifiable introduction to the monetary gains associated with addressing the whole package. That's a work in progress.
There's a green team at Proteus. Can you talk about it?
Perreault: While everyone in the company has an interest in sustainability at this point, there are seven or eight of us who comprise the lead team. We are people from the different disciplines within Proteus who have a deep interest in sustainability. Over time, we've been gathering information and knowledge about sustainability in the hopes of relaying it back to the other people in our disciplines and collectively developing a cohesive approach to the process.
LaQuatra: I actually think we're on the forefront of understanding how consumers want to hear and learn about sustainability. We have recent research studies under our belt that have clearly told us how people want to be spoken to, marketed to and informed of sustainable products, brands and companies.
Typically there's an inclination to make claims like "biodegradable" and "compostable" and layer in many technical terms. Though these are important to consumers, we're also learning that consumers respond positively to any sustainability effort. We're encouraging our clients to tell consumers that "every little bit helps," "you can do your part," and "you're doing something that matters" - things that make them feel they're a part of this movement even if they didn't grow up green.
Nichols: As a designer, you approach every challenge with the notion of evaluating the whole system. The green initiative is no different. Yes, the variables have changed, but the methodology is very similar. We are finding solutions to a flawed system and designing a new industry that humankind can prosper from in a sustainable way. Proteus is determined and focused to help guide our clients to making eco-effectiveness a reality.
Perreault: Let me be clear about something. By definition, sustainable companies will be economically stable as well as environmentally sustainable. Sustainability doesn't and can't come at the cost of economic viability, or it isn't "sustainability". The Green Team at Proteus understands this. We're doing our very best to bring that message to every client we do business with.