University of Vaasa - Vaasan yliopisto

309
compounds are used in all industries and some type of uses are similar despite the
industry in question, namely such as lubricants, cooling fluids, water purification, etc.
Materials and natural resources and manufacturing processes (for example
comparing semi conductors and metals manufacturing) used at different industries
vary considerably. Results of a recent research project MASCO 3 26 (Materials
efficiency and new business of waste and environmental management services) show
that manufacturing industries are very interested in eco-efficiency and consider
corporate responsibility issues very important. However they saw that the best
knowledge on the materials needed and used in processes and how the materials
efficiency could be increased lies within the company or industry concerned. As a
part of the overall eco-efficiency energy efficiency was perceived more complex
problem to be handled within companies or an industry (MASCO 3, 2009). Third
research area could be the connection between materials and energy efficiency and
how to make it more visible and also show the connection between human-industry
relations, not just as Mwh consumed but in more detailed fashion (forms of energy
production, technology, renewable or not, local or from international energy markets,
etc.)
What is already transferable and used as outsourced services in some industries is the
idea of selling reliable operations management in order increase quality and
reliability of the manufacturing processes. Also outsourced sourcing and purchasing
is used in several industries to some extent in our understanding. However, more
interesting in the context of CR-innovation is to connect the eco-efficiency together
with the social effects and risks of particular manufacturing facility and look the
effects of different materials and production processes to the social impacts and risks
would still be quite innovative or at least different from existing models. A number
of other questions remains to be answered before it can be said that this type of CRinnovative
business models could be developed to other industries. Chemicals can be
such materials, used by all other industries as process and support materials alike that
it is possible to develop these CMS and eco-efficiency + social sustainability services.
Interesting question is that who in manufacture chain could offer these types of
services - could it be for example technology providers in heavy metals? How they
could provide the services - would a single service provider offer them by deepening
and expanding its services or could different networks as production mode work
better? What kinds of business models are needed for this? Or in what way the
commercial tools available already could be used and developed to combine different
aspects of corporate responsibility perhaps differently compared to BASF example?
Though eco-efficiency as a concept has been criticized and it can be questioned if it
is possibile to measure the social impacts of companies in socially benign and
sensitive way BASF example shows that in some way it is possible to enhance ecoefficiency
and social sustainability in economically feasible way. Furthermore this
example is a significant, because it is not possible to change existing industrial
processes overnight. Therefore gradual improvements through eco-efficiency and
taking social impacts under paralel analysis is important. Success as an example and
CMS in general shows that in can be also feasible and innovative business. They also
show that CR innovation is very much organizational and strategical innovation, not
just technological.
26 The studied industries were manufacturing industries in general, construction industry, retail- and wholesale
industries and logistics. Research included both a survey (n=294) and 44 interviews. Unpublished research
report of TEKES (the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation) funded research project on
innovative business models at environmental and waste management services.