Panorama Newsletter

This standard provides guidelines to assist organizations in establishing, documenting, implementing, maintaining and continually improving their management of eco-design as part of an environmental management system (EMS).

With the ISO 14006 Tecniplast can integrate ecodesign in its management systems, applying to those product related environmental aspects that the organization can control and those it can influence. We asked Vito D'Incognito, one of the most important expert on environmental sustainability, his thoughts on Tecniplast’s sustainability efforts.

Vito, what do you think about Tecniplast's Strategy in environmental sustainability?

I can say Tecniplast has a well-established sustainable strategy. In my experience I would say that ecodesign is a basic sustainable tool able to shift the designer approach to the product design phase, as it is evident the new design approach still follows the previous process checking and respecting any technical-physical limit or restriction but, at the same time introduces a set of environmental criteria, to be respected, considering the full life of the product under design; the final result is a product well designed under the technical-functional aspect and with a clear environmental profile. Not only with the ecodesign process certification, TP makes an additional step in terms of sustainability as all the functions and departments are involved in the ecodesign contributing to the best results.

Do you think that Tecniplast can be classed as the leader in sustainability in the LAS market?

Of course! Tecniplast is at the very top as a leader in sustainability. If we analyse the LAS market and we look for management certifications, product LCAs implemented, environmental reports produced and verified, recycling activities we find Tecniplast having all the mentioned certification and only a few other companies having small evidence of their commitment for the environment and sustainable development. In addition we also mention the action of eliminating single use plastic from the workplace in advance of any legislation or restriction on a voluntary basis. It is not easy to find another company like Tecniplast among the LAS market.

Which competitive advantages do you think ISO 14006 will bring to Tecniplast?

As for other management system certification the effort implemented with the ecodesign will give advantages and benefits to Tecniplast both internally and externally. Applying the ecodesign tool and check list, the Engineering and design department will obtain full confidence in the environmental profile of all the materials used for manufacturing, any new product or modified products, and the knowledge of the existing and new materials is and will be an extraordinary opportunity and advantage for redesign and also opportunities to improve the environmental profile of products.

The external competitive advantage will be more evident as soon as the knowledge among the LAS market will grow allowing the user of LAS products to understand the main difference between a generic cage and a cage designed, manufactured with an ecodesign view containing benefits also for the users and for the environment.

In your opinion, which advantages will the ISO 14006 offer to Tecniplast customers?

The advantages and benefits for customers using Tecniplast products will be to have a detailed set of environmental information that has been verified from a third party certified body and such processes will continue in the future. On such base all the information provided by Tecniplast concerning the ecodesign is and will be reliable and actual and this is the most relevant advantage for a customer interested in receiving an excellent product with reliable information.

Considering the Life cycle perspective during the design phase, the engineering and design department optimizes the environmental impacts and, very often, this is reached reducing the energy and other resources during the use phase of the product, and this is a valuable advantage for a customer.

Among the previous answers it is possible to find the attention, awareness and sensibility of Tecniplast for sustainability but, in addition, I propose to make another check with reference to the 2030 agenda for sustainable development of the United Nation Organization.

According to such agenda the 3 pillars of sustainability are split in 17 indicators; so considering only the ecodesign process the following mentioned indicators are affected.

• 4th quality education.
• 5th gender equality.
• 8th decent work and economic growth.
• 9th industry innovation and infrastructure.
• 12th responsible consumption and production.
• 13th climate actions.
• 17th partnership for the goals.

The set of indicators lets everyone understand the sensibility of Tecniplast for sustainability, not with words but with actions.

LEOPOLDO ZAUNER
MARKETING & COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR, TECNIPLAST S.P.A.