ALTZARI: The traction of the value chain as an eco-innovation methodology in the furniture and equipment sector.

The objective of ALTZARI is to promote environmental performance and eco-innovation in the value chain of the Furniture and Equipment sector in the Basque Country through:

  • Empowerment and channeling of the green purchase.
  • Improved transparency towards stakeholders and environmental and corporate social responsibility practices.
  • Integration of the life cycle approach.
  • Improvement of the environmental practices of companies along the value chain.

The project was led by Habic (Cluster Association of the Equipment, Wood, and Design Sector) with the participation of Plásticos/ Plastics Alai, Irurena, Burdinola, Elkor, Maderas Urkia, Eun Group and Icaza as well as the collaboration of IK Ingeniería/ Engineering and ZICLA®.

Value chain in the Furniture and Equipment sector.

The members of the value chain in the Furniture and Equipment sector are:

  • Suppliers of raw materials.
  • Equipment suppliers.
  • Manufacturers.
  • Distributors.
  • Large buyers of furniture and equipment.

 

Applied methodology.

furniture and equipmentThe project began with a characterization of the value chain currently implemented in the Basque Country for the Furniture and Equipment sector, including sustainable actions, currently present and absent, and working on materials, energy, resources, use and end of life cycle respectively. The main role of each company and its position within the value chain has been analyzed to determine if the company has environmental traction capacity over the rest of the value chain.

We have analyzed the existing traction in terms of sustainability and their causes, and also the evaluation method has been developed in this web platform, that has been created so that its registered users can decide their green purchase based on general environmental recognized criteria of the sector.

Environmental and social criteria evaluated.

The applied model is based on the development of a series of environmental and social criteria that measures:

  • The management of the product: the materials, their use, the end of their life cycle, the eco-design application …
  • CSR strategies: workers’ safety and health, commitment to society, CSR communication policies.
  • Supplier management: social and environmental requirements.
  • The management of the company: environmental, energy, water, waste, emissions, and circular economy policies.

Financing.

furniture and equipmentALTZARI has been funded by the European ERDF program and by Ihobe, the Basque Government’s Public Environmental Management Society, within its 2016 Eco-Innovation Projects program.

 

 

.