The challenge
Stakeholder pressure, circularity commitments and pollution drove a global retail and manufacturing company to set a 2030 waste reduction goal.
The solution
Arcadis developed a data-driven achievement roadmap and analytics model and dashboard to enable performance tracking and decision making.
The impact
The company’s 2030 goal is in alignment with long-term objectives and sets a clear direction for the company’s waste reduction initiatives.
13 waste reduction interventions
developed to achieve the waste reduction goal
19,000 metric tons
Estimated reduction in facility waste generation
The challenge
In the dynamic landscape of the retail and manufacturing industry, our client faces the pressing challenge of establishing a 2030 waste reduction goal, accompanied by the creation of a comprehensive roadmap to achieve its ambitious reduction target. At the forefront of their concerns is the imperative to develop a robust analytic model to guide their waste reduction efforts effectively. Additionally, they sought support in securing leadership buy-in for both the goal and the roadmap. This multifaceted challenge encompasses various critical dimensions, including environmental impact, cost savings, fostering a positive brand image, and ensuring regulatory compliance. By addressing these facets, the company aims not only to reduce its environmental footprint and greenhouse gas emissions but also to conserve natural resources and minimize waste disposal and management costs.
The solution
Arcadis collaborated closely with a global retail and manufacturing company, providing comprehensive support to establish and implement a robust waste reduction strategy aligned with the company’s vision for 2030. The journey began with a thorough analysis of the company's historical waste data, a critical step in setting precise boundaries for their waste reduction goals. This involved determining the base year, identifying relevant waste streams, and arriving at consensus on goal type options - diversion, absolute reduction, or intensity reduction. Through a collaborative process with the client, Arcadis drafted goal language, engaging stakeholders to refine the objectives and address potential challenges effectively.
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One of the key deliverables was the development of a glide path and implementation roadmap to support the goal, outlining key actions to prioritize in the initial year and setting milestones until 2030. Through meticulous analysis and strategic planning, Arcadis helped the client identify 13 types of waste reduction interventions, categorizing them based on priority levels. These interventions ranged from supplier engagement programs to packaging optimization initiatives, each tailored to maximize impact while minimizing costs. By focusing on key waste streams and implementing targeted interventions, the company is able to achieve substantial reduction in waste generated, thereby reducing environmental impact and enhancing operational efficiency. In addition to calculating the waste reduction potential for each intervention, we also estimated the investment cost (CAPEX and OPEX) per intervention. Arcadis' comprehensive solution not only addresses the immediate challenges but also lays a solid foundation for the company's sustainability journey towards 2030 and beyond.
This strategic roadmap provided a clear direction for the company's waste reduction initiatives, ensuring alignment with long-term objectives. Furthermore, Arcadis facilitated engagements with leadership to secure preliminary approval of the goals and associated strategies, fostering organizational commitment to sustainability efforts.
In addition to strategic planning, Arcadis also developed a user-friendly waste model using Microsoft Excel and Power BI dashboards, empowering key stakeholders to track progress, analyze data, and ensure quality control of their waste reduction efforts. This tool facilitated effective decision-making and provided insights to drive continuous improvement. Moreover, Arcadis facilitated workshops and interviews with stakeholders from various departments, gathering valuable insights to refine waste reduction interventions and prioritize actions.
The impact
The impact of Arcadis's collaboration with our client on waste reduction initiatives is transformative, driven by the development and implementation of a dynamic, user-friendly analytic model. This innovative tool, built on Excel and Power BI dashboards, features comprehensive historical data views, waste reduction glide paths, and intervention-specific analyses for manufacturing and distribution centers. The model provides invaluable insights to guide decision-making and pathway analysis. Arcadis facilitated a seamless integration of the model into the company's infrastructure, equipping teams with technical guidance documents, user guides, and tailored training sessions.
With a clear goal to reduce waste intensity at both manufacturing sites and distribution centers by 2030 compared to a fiscal year 2023 base year, this initiative sets the stage to reduce the company’s environmental impact and improve its operational excellence, reflecting a steadfast commitment to sustainability and responsible business practices.
Used capabilities
