
Sustainability Circle is a politically independent think tank started by industry in 2010. Nowadays, knowledge companies, universities, hospitals, public administrations also participate in the work. The mission is to develop a mindset for industrially sustainable development, strengthen our members' competitiveness and accelerate positive development.
MANIFEST FOR AN INDUSTRIAL
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Created: 2019-09-02. Last updated: 2020-10-21
Our time is characterized by a number of challenges for our businesses. Probably the most important are:
Tougher competition, partly due to globalization and demographics.
New technology, especially in the form of digitization. (See Article 1: Digitization affects everyone and everything, almost evenly)
Strong demands for contributions from business and administration to a globally sustainable ecological, social and economic development. (See Article 2: Sustainable development - for the sake of our and future generations)
Activities with a focus on innovation, long-term thinking and life cycle thinking are one response to these challenges.
There are many indications that the companies that are the fastest acquire significant, perhaps impregnable, competitive advantages. This applies, not least, to production which at every opportunity must be as "smart" as possible. (See Article 3: A smart industry - getting it done without being there) .
The maintenance function has knowledge of what lasts, what does not last and what makes the difference. The maintenance function thus has a natural relation to the work with industrial sustainability. An estimated 100 000 Swedes, of which 10 000 managers, work with maintenance and are thus already financed. The manifesto shows how these can do even greater good. (See Article 4: Double Loop Learning - from what, via why, to why not)
The manifesto is brief. The thoughts behind the manifesto is deepened in independent articles (see references) and in the form of cases from our members.
The manifesto, as well as the articles, are subject to constant development. Thoughts and ideas are added continuously based on the work in the Sustainability Circle.
This manifesto recommends the following:
1. Determine upcycling as a method for industrially sustainable development.
(See article 5: Upcycling - from hobby to technical sustainability)
2. Establish the traditional the responsibility of the maintenance function to realize one zero vision regarding breakdowns . Manifest this by using the term Smart Maintenance . (See article 6: A smart industry requires Smart Maintenance).
3. Develop data-driven decision support system which, with the help of techno-markers, enables support for prediction, causal analysis and prescription regarding measures. (See article 7: Artificial intelligence - master, slave or colleague?)
4. Organize operations so that Smart Maintenance can easily collaborate with operations, R&D / construction, purchasing, finance, HRM and IT. An improved internal integration. (See article 8: From hierarchy to adhocracy)
5. Develop the relationship with external suppliers of Smart Maintenance to enable a stronger external integration . (See article 9: External integration).
6. Educate employees in Smart maintenance in (a) digital technology, (b) finance and (c) soft skills / change leadership. Develop one leadership which focuses on lifelong learning. (See article 10: From specialist to T-competent. See article 11: From boss to leader. See article 12: Economics - the only common language. See Article 16: Recruiting the next generation)
7. Develop cooperation between business, researchers and higher education . (See Article 13: Collaborating on knowledge development.)
8. Highlight technology and the engineering profession as methods for realizing sustainable development in the world. (See Article 14: To launch Smart Maintenance) .
9. Secure a high-quality maintenance as a basis for the development of Smart Maintenance.
(See Article 15: The basis is a high-quality maintenance - what is it?)
Almost eleven years of intensive thinking from hundreds of qualified engineers and technicians in a number of companies is difficult to sum up for those of you who have not been on the entire journey.
Our manifesto is an attempt to do so anyway. Our manifesto can be found on an A4 page. If you want to know more, the reasoning is deepened in our 17 articles to which there is a reference in the manifesto. Nice reading!