Building Expertise: Nijhuis Saur Industries' first step to integrate LCA
Company
Nijhuis Saur Industries (NSI) provides a wide range of water (treatment) solutions and resource recovery.
Challenge
To date NSI, and their technology production sister companies, have commissioned occasional external LCAs on an ad-hoc basis.
NSI found themselves under increasing pressure to establish an in-house LCA capability to support specific project or application requirements. Municipal actors and the public sector were requiring CO2 equivalent footprint calculations, whilst internal needs were also growing to support B CORP accreditation and developing QHSE (Quality, Health, Safety and Environment) tools to support environmental claims.
NSI wanted to maintain control over their product development and expertise particularly regarding complex iterations of technology or recovery of a range of bioresources from multi-functional systems.
They discovered how Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) could provide CO2 calculations and influence their product supply chains, but also how LCA tools and techniques could help define appropriate Functional Units and System Boundaries. With no prior in depth experience in LCAs, NSI realized they needed a clear strategy and extensive training to integrate LCAs into their everyday business processes effectively. NSI was committed to upskill their team and to embed sustainability into the core of their operations.
Why us?
NSI chose our training program to equip their employees with essential LCA skills. They were impressed by the comprehensive, practical nature of our tailored training. Additionally, including easy-to-use, cloud-based software for the entire team was a significant selling point. This blend of thorough training and accessible technology made our program the perfect fit for Nijhuis Saur Industries.
Solution
NSI took a decisive step by enrolling two key members of their product development team in our LCA training program. These employees received in-depth training on Life Cycle Assessments, empowering them to seamlessly integrate LCA expertise into their daily work. This initiative allowed NSI to provide comprehensive knowledge and precise data on the environmental impacts of their products. As a result, they not only enhanced their product development process but also strengthened their commitment to sustainability and in-house expertise, ensuring long-term benefits for their business.
Results
The training marked an important first step for NSI in leveraging data to benefit the environment, the company, and its customers. This initial integration of LCA has laid the groundwork for a more sustainable and environmentally responsible approach to their operations. Enthusiastic about the progress, NSI plans to train more employees, spreading this vital expertise across the organization. They have already begun to see the benefits, completing their first LCA and and preparing to scale up their efforts in product development using the Earthster software.
Nijhuis website: https://www.nijhuisindustries.com/
“This training was our first step towards embedding LCA expertise within our organization, and it has laid a strong foundation for future progress.”
