Implementation of a POEMS model in firms of the wood furniture sector

A POEMS (Product Oriented Environmental Management System) model has been developed during the EU LIFE LAIPP Project “Dissemination of IPP tools in the wood furniture district of Marche Region (Italy)”. The LAIPP project is based on the application/development of different IPP tools LCA, ISO 14001, POEMS, EPD, Ecodesign by companies, according to their needs, market opportunities, typology of production, participation to GPP procedures. In particular, an innovative POEMS (Product Oriented Environmental Management System) model has been developed and tested in the project, based on: • the life cycle approach in order to avoid burdens shifting • the continuous improvement principle; it allows gradual approaches and commitments by the firms and at the same time it increases the consciousness of the enterprise towards environmental issues. Continuous improvement has an immediate effect on the environmental performances of products and, as it does not depend on the respect of pre-defined criteria, makes it possible the access to a larger number of products. • simplified procedures and tools. The simplification has been possible by the deep knowledge on processes and products developed in the specific sector during the whole project, thanks to detailed LCA studies of main product chains. The POEMS has been implemented in three leading enterprises: Scavolini: producing kitchen furniture Elica: producing cooker hoods Upper: producing office furniture Introduction and rationale The European Union, in the framework of Lisbon [1] and Goteborg [2] strategies, is setting ambitious quantified goals on the environmental questions, with a great attention to energy, waste and rationale use of resources. We know that these goals are obliged if we want assure a sustainable future both for the environment and the economy. The great value of the Integrated Product Policy (IPP) [3], or, according to the more general version that the EU is adopting, of Sustainable Production and Consumption (SPC), is in proposing in horizontal terms, by means of the products and services that everyday we use, those vertical goals related to energy, waste and resources. IPP fosters the growth of a market of green products and services, stimulating, from the demand side, the consumers, single or aggregated, to buy environmental friendly products (that therefore should be recognisable as such) and, from the supply side, the product eco-innovation by firms. The eco-innovation itself is seen by EU as a paramount way to conjugate prosperity with the environmental protection. Life Cycle approach is recognised as the most suitable model for providing environmental information because it takes into account the whole system of relations connected to a single choice. Technical institutions that want promote the IPP can easily recognise two major challanges facing them: i) the development of solutions easily to be adopted by firms to start product eco-innovation processes and ii) the development of communication/certification tools, based on a scientific approach, capable to make recognisable by single and/or collective consumers the environmental quality of the green products [4]. The IPP are, in general, in their start-up phase: for their success it is crucial to involve as many firms as possible. This requires that the firms should understand their convenience to adopt a proactive approach. In addition to the development of easy tools and procedures, a simple way to obtain that goal is to make the products be recognisable in the market from the beginning of the firms’ path towards the eco-innovation and green product development. An application of the concept of continuous improvement is, in this sense, very adapt. From the IPP view point, the existing standard communication tools (ISO environmental labels and declarations) do not meet all the needs of the entire spectrum of products. For example: ISO Type I environmental labels. Not for all product categories ecolabel criteria are available. The process to develop them is very long and difficult and it is out of the possibility of many individual enterprises. In addition, it seems not suitable for very fast changing products. ISO Type II environmental claims. Their credibility has been often questioned. Moreover, they cover only single aspects, not the overall environmental quality of the product. ISO Type III environmental declarations. Very tailored to B2B communication but not very suitable for B2C, as they requires a good technical knowledge for their interpretation. Moreover, they require a not negligible initial investment for Product Category Rules development, their consultation and for the detailed LCA study. It requires, in addition, a not negligible cost for its maintenance. Based on the above described rationale, the EU LIFE LAIPP Project “Dissemination of IPP tools in the wood furniture district of Marche Region (Italy)” [5] has promoted IPP in the firms with the application/development of different IPP tools LCA, ISO 14001, EPD, Ecodesign according to their needs, market opportunities, typology of production, participation to GPP procedures, etc. It should be noted that European criteria for ecolabel in the wood furniture sector are not available yet. In particular an innovative POEMS (Product Oriented Environmental Management System) model has been developed and tested in the project, based on: • the life cycle approach in order to avoid burdens shifting • the continuous improvement principle; it allows gradual approaches and commitments by the firms and at the same time it increases the consciousness of the enterprise towards environmental issues. Continuous improvement has an immediate effect on the environmental performances of products and, as it does not depend on the respect of pre-defined criteria, makes it possible the access to a larger number of products. • simplified procedures and tools. The simplification has been possible by the deep knowledge on processes and products developed in the specific sector during the whole project, thanks to detailed LCA studies of main product chains. The firms where the POEMS has been implemented are three leading enterprises: Scavolini: producing kitchen furniture Elica: producing cooker hoods Upper: producing office furniture