LH Ruiters presentation

1. NATIONAL CLEANER PRODUCTION CENTRE
SOUTH AFRICA
@NCPC_SA
www.ncpc.co.za
Lee-Hendor Ruiters
Regional Manager

2. NATIONAL CLEANER PRODUCTION
CENTRE SOUTH AFRICA
@NCPC_SA
UNEP Eco-innovation Pilot
Implementation Project
National Workshop
28 June 2017

3. UNEP Eco-innovation approach
 Eco-innovation provides an ideal approach to promote the application of
sustainable business practices along value chains (greening supply
chains)
 Eco-innovation operates at the level of a company strategy. It aims to
embed sustainability into DNA of a company.
 It promotes systemic innovation based on holistic life-cycle approach
throughout company’s operations - products (goods / services),
processes, market approach and organizational structure.
 It aims at influencing and involving stakeholders along the entire value
chain.
 Initial focus of the eco-innovation intervention is on sectors with highest
potential for decoupling (IRP recommendation):
 Food processing,
 Chemicals manufacturing and use; and
 Metal processing

4. The Eco-Innovation Project at a glance
• Implemented with support of the European Commission
• Project coordinator: UNEP
• Key partners: RECPnet, RE institutions, governments, UNIDO,
industrial associations, academia and research institutions
• Project objective: to create conditions for service providers, to
support SMEs to improve their sustainability performance
through eco-innovation
• Sector Focus - three priority value chains:
• Food processing and packaging
• Metal processing
• Chemical use and production
• Delivery mechanism: development of tools, capacity
development, national demonstration projects and cooperation

5. Development of the
approach and
related tools
International and
regional cooperation
Call for participation:
Technical
demonstration projects
8 countries from 3
regions
5 companies from
each country
Call for participation:
Policy mainstreaming
4 countries from 3
regions
UNEP overall
coordination
National
implementation:
RECP SP and local
partners
UNEP overall coordination
with RECPnet
Project Implementation

6. A - Vietnam: Joint Policy Mainstreaming & Pilot SME Application (Agri-food)
B - Sri Lanka: Pilot SME Application (Agri-food)
C - South Africa: Pilot SME Application (Metals)
D - Uganda: Pilot SME Application (Agri-food)
E - Kenya: Policy Mainstreaming
F - Egypt: Pilot SME Application (Chemicals)
G - Colombia: Joint policy mainstreaming & pilot SMEs Application (Chemicals and Metals)
F - Peru: Joint policy mainstreaming & pilot SMEs application (Chemicals and Metals)

7. www.ncpc.co.za
South African Pilot Project Timeline (2015 - 2017)
- NCPC-SA, UNEP and Stellenbosch University
- Sector : metals fabrication and tooling sector in the Western Cape
- Sector associations : SASSDA + WCTI
- Project Steering committee : Government departments
- Technical project support : UNEP
- Project team : L Ruiters, S Oldham, Z Zwavel, P v Heyningen
- Industry Workshop : May 2015 Introductory
- Kick-Off workshop + company workshops: July 2015
- Market analysis + company visits
- Selection of final 5 companies
2016 and 2017
- Company visits and data collection
- Key project deliverables quality management
- Review of project

9. www.ncpc.co.zawww.ncpc.co.za
Initial Findings
- The process seemed complicated
- Time constraints
- Access to incentives and funding raised early
- Scepticism about implementing theory
- Innovation done in isolation of product development
- No clear policy but supported by various environmental policies
- Unintended outcome of sustainability activities
- Innovation in research, technology, standards, regulatory approaches
Sector and market analysis – Sustainability hotspots:
- Component manufacturing dominant
- Regional turndown turn and closures
- Fluctuating commodity prices
- Labour unrest
- Highly competitive & low margins

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Challenges Experienced with Eco-Innovation Approach
- Life cycle thinking not prevalent
- Sector macro economic challenges impact
- Conservative growth prospects
- Applying business model innovation challenging
- Expectations misaligned to project outcomes
Benefits
- Access to new and growing markets
- Increase productivity and manufacturing technical capacity
- Attract investment / Partnerships
- Improve environmental performance and adherence to regulations
- Improve profitability through increased activities along the value chain
- Driver for Responsible consumption and production (SDG 12)

11. www.ncpc.co.za

12. www.ncpc.co.za
THANK YOU
EMAIL
lruiters@csir.co.za
WEBSITE
www.ncpc.co.za