Design for sustainability : Embedding life cycle thinking

Purpose – Many companies are now under increasing scrutiny from end‐users and customers, and under pressure from legislation, in relation to the environmental performance of their products. Yet, despite these pressures, few companies, especially UK based SMEs, have progressed very far when it comes to sustainable design implementation. However, there are some examples of companies leading the way, and not just talking about it, and one such company is Orangebox Ltd. Design/methodology/approach – This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings – Presenting at this year's “Sustainable design; designing sustainable products and services” conference, organised by the British Standards Institute (BSI), Luke Palmer, product designer at Orangebox, provided an insight into not just its latest success, the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) certified ARA task chair, but how this project relates to the company's long term approach to embedding eco‐design and life cycle thinking in the company's culture. Originality/value – The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy‐to‐digest format.