Green Supply Chain Design

An environmental design for a product or process is referred to as Design for Environment (DfE). DfE focues on a products impact on the environment before it is actually produced, distributed and used. Design for Environment looks into the disassembly of products at the end-of-life and examines the cost benefits, reuse and recycling (Harrison, 2011).

DfE is aimed to simplify product designs over the full product’s life cycle so that they could be made inexpensively (Suleiman, 2015).

There are many factors that can influence the intergation of DfE in the design process of a product. Areas of concern include the following:

Management

Management and support is a frequently mentioned factor, which refers to the provision of resources for carrying out the activities needed to reduce a product’s environmental impact ( Bakker, 1995). Mangement should have a clear vision on environmeantal goals and consider the environmental impact as a business issue (Frei, 1998). Inorder to realise an operative eco-design, all personnel invloved in the design process should be educated an well trained (Karlsson, 1997).

Technology

Different techonology has a different impact on the environment. When developing a product, the techonogy chosen is vital for the environmental performance of the product. A product of higher complexity many need a variety of different techonoglys which could impose a threat of the environment. Therefore establishing a technology strategy at the outset of the design process may be crucial. (Riitahuhta ,1994).

Supplier Relationships

The supplier provides an important source of information when it comes to environmental friendly alternatives in materials, components and processes. Suppliers have an expertise in specific issues relating to materials