How to Integrate Climate Action into Product Development

Product design is becoming a more important exercise for companies to reduce tariff impacts and costs, drive down emissions, and capture revenue upside. A key first step is evaluating the bill of materials and conducting a lifecycle assessment to pinpoint where both tariffs and emissions are highest—from materials to manufacturing, usage, and disposal—allowing for targeted, high-impact changes. Switching to low-carbon or recycled materials, simplifying designs, and sourcing locally can significantly reduce costs and environmental impact. Modular, durable products also support circular economy goals by enabling easier repair, reuse, or recycling. Improving energy efficiency—both in production and during product use—can lower emissions and operating costs, making products more attractive to customers. Technologies like digital modeling and just-in-time production also help reduce waste. To fully realize the commercial potential, companies must clearly communicate sustainability attributes through credible claims, transparent labeling, third-party certifications, and marketing that highlights both environmental and performance benefits. Our research shows that appropriate claims can drive 6 to 25%+ revenue uplift.

10Rs in the Product Life Cycle 🌎 The transition to a circular economy requires a structured approach to rethinking how products are designed, used, and managed at end-of-life. The 10R framework offers a comprehensive set of strategies to guide this transformation across all phases of the product life cycle. Each of the 10Rs represents a specific action aimed at reducing resource use, extending product longevity, or recovering value. When applied systematically, these strategies support both environmental goals and operational efficiency. In the design and production phase, the focus is on preventing unnecessary resource consumption. This includes refusing materials or products that are not essential, redesigning systems to minimize waste, and reducing inputs through improved efficiency. The use phase is centered on maximizing the lifespan and performance of products and components. This involves strategies such as reusing existing products, repurposing them for different functions, repairing damage, refurbishing outdated models, and remanufacturing to restore functionality. In the after-use phase, the goal shifts toward recovering value from materials that can no longer be used as-is. Recycling enables the reprocessing of materials into new inputs, while regeneration supports the renewal of natural systems and resources. By aligning the 10Rs with the stages of the product life cycle, organizations can identify targeted opportunities to reduce environmental impact and strengthen supply chain resilience. This approach also enables more informed decisions at every stage—from product development to disposal—helping businesses align sustainability with performance and long-term value creation. Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation #sustainability #sustainable #business #esg #climatechange #circulareconomy #circular

Innovation is more than creating new products and ventures — it’s about building new habits for end-users and stakeholders. If you’re a founder who’s building for environmental sustainability, here’s how you can think about designing for the entire value chain of your products. 1. Choice of Product 📦 The most obvious pathway is to just design products that inherently consume fewer resources or produce less pollution – like electric cars over gas guzzlers. The challenge? Convincing users to choose the sustainable option if it costs more. 2. Changed Use 🔄 This one is interesting. Products can encourage sustainable use by providing additional use options for different situations. An adjustable dryer that minimizes energy depending on the load. Smart thermostats that suggest adjustments based on real-time energy grid conditions. Water pitchers that prompt users to fill only what's needed. 3. Maintenance and Repair ⚒️ Prolonging a product’s lifespan goes a LONG way for the environment. Think of bikes, which are already easier to repair and maintain. Now, we have modular versions with even more parts that can be replaced for an upgrade. 4. Mediated Use 🧭 Secondary products that can be added on to encourage more resource-efficient use of the primary one — such as smart meters revealing energy consumption patterns. 5. Regulating Use 🔒 It might be hard to convince users to buy secondary products, but in-built components can automatically regulate resource usage, like motion sensors turning off vacant lights. 🌱 Currently, many climate tech and climate-oriented products are already nudging sustainable behavior. But to be effective, there’s another step: communicating your product to consumers, businesses, and investors. Say you have an electric car company — if users don’t see how they can save more in the long run despite high initial costs, you’ll be left with great tech/products that nobody adopts. What if Design was started to solve this exact problem. We champion your climate solutions — from research to design. Link to chat 1-1 in the comments