Abstract
Environmental problems deep-rooted in industrial activities have increased considerably, yet the role companies play in accomplishing environmental sustainability (ES) is disappointing. As a result, this paper disaggregates the components of sustainability into more dynamic formulations. For this reason, the study applies input–output life-cycle assessment (IO-LCA) in combination with a simulation of company-specific environmental performance. However, the resulting challenges in this study include integrating environmental, health, and safety concerns with green-product design, lean and green operations, and closed-loop supply chains. It presents a quantitative framework that can be used as a basis for designing sustainable production systems and monitoring existing ones. This includes reflection on how we can harness science and education for ES. This requires the companies to use the concepts of (a) total quality environmental management, (b) ecologically sustainable competitive strategies, (c) technology transfer through technology-for nature-swaps, and (d) reducing the impact of populations on ecosystems.
