Business 4.0
Henrik Hulgaard CTO, Configit ABOUT THE AUTHOR Henrik Hulgaard is the CTO and co-founder of Configit, the global leader in Configuration Lifecycle Management (CLM) solutions and a supplier of business-critical software for the configuration of complex products. He holds a doctorate in computer science from the University of Washington and is an associate professor of computer science. He has published more than 25 articles internationally.
Configuration Lifecycle Management for Sustainability As buyers consider the carbon footprint of products, Configuration Lifecycle Management can help them make the right choice.
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hen today’s consumers are evaluating their options, they’re figuring sustainability and the product’s carbon footprint into the evaluation process. A report by IBM and the National Retail Federation found that 8 in 10 respondents indicated sustainability mattered to them; 6 in 10 said they’d be willing to change their shopping habits to reduce environmental impact. This means having the least expensive product is no longer an adequate differentiator – and many companies are now taking notice. Sustainability is quickly becoming a competitive differentiator.
Green Regulations in Manufacturing The Center for Energy and Climate Solutions notes that the manufacturing industry accounts for about 30% of greenhouse gas emissions, including indirect emissions resulting from the sector’s electricity consumption. The
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EPA defines sustainable manufacturing as “the creation of manufactured products through economically sound processes that minimize negative environmental impacts while conserving energy and natural resources. It also enhances employee, community and product safety.” In the European Union, the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) went into effect earlier this year. The idea behind this law is to unify transparency rules for financial market participants and financial advisers about integrating sustainability risks and negative impacts in their processes. Companies that fall within the purview of the SFDR must provide sustainability‐ related information about their financial products. This means investors who put capital into Europe or marketing investments in Europe will be subject to Environment Social Governance (ESG) disclosure obligations. The
