114.1.1 - Total Manufacturing

What is "Manufacturing X"?

Manufacturing X (X stands for "Exchange") is an international initiative to digitally connect worldwide manufacturing ecosystems, from Academia to end-use customers.

Most people who hear the word "Sustainability" immediate associate that with Environmental Sustainability. However, true sustainability cannot come from focusing on the environment alone.
- We define "Sustainability" as something that can be done indefinitely
3-Pillar Sustainability (which we just call "Sustainability") is the idea that true sustainability cannot be achieved without focusing on three key areas:
- PEOPLE - AKA Social Sustainability
  - This pillar involves ensuring that all members of society have the opportunity to live fulfilling lives and contribute to their communities.
- PLANET - AKA Environmental Sustainability
  - This pillar involves protecting the natural environment and using resources in a way that does not deplete them or harm the earth's ecosystems.
- PROFIT - AKA Economic Sustainability
  - This pillar focuses on ensuring that economic activities are conducted in a way that does not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Origins of (3-Pillar) Sustainability

The Brundtland Report, also known as "Our Common Future," is a report published by the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987.
- The report was commissioned to assess the state of the world's environment and to consider the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
The Brundtland Report is considered the origin of the concept of 3-pillar sustainability, also known as the triple bottom line.
- The report introduced the concept of sustainable development, which it defined as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
- This definition highlights the importance of considering the economic, social, and environmental impacts of our actions, and it is the foundation of the 3-pillar model of sustainability.
The Brundtland Report was widely influential and has had a significant impact on policy and practice around the world.
- Its call for a more sustainable approach to development has been embraced by governments, businesses, and other organizations, and it continues to shape discussions about sustainability to this day.

In 2015, 193 countries on the United Nations (UN) General Assembly adopted the 2030 Development Agenda titled "Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development"
- As a result of this agenda, eventually 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were outlined. These goals each have 8-12 targets, with each target having 1-4 metrics (measurable indicators of performance/progress):
If we organize these goals under the idea of 3-Pillar Sustainability, we end up with something similar to the "SDG Wedding Cake", by the Stockholm Resilience Centre:

Environmental Goals:

Societal Goals:

Economic Goals:

Goal 17 is about revitalizing the global partnership for sustainable development.
- The 2030 Agenda is universal and calls for action by all countries – developed and developing – to ensure no one is left behind.
- It requires partnerships between governments, the private sector, and civil society.
- The Sustainable Development Goals can only be realized with a strong commitment to global partnership and cooperation.
Significant challenges remain. Official development assistance (ODA) has not reached the targeted level; private investment flows are not well aligned with sustainable development; there continues to be a significant digital divide; and there are on-going trade tensions.
- To be successful, everyone will need to mobilize both existing and additional resources and developed countries will need to fulfill their official development assistance commitments.

Today, there are some good examples of companies (both large & small) that make significant efforts & progress towards a Sustainable future.
- Many companies track their progress towards the three pillars of sustainability as part of their regular (typically annually) self-auditing/reporting processes
Overall, the following companies are making significant efforts to support the 3 pillars of sustainability through their business practices and corporate social responsibility programs:

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