Getting to Zero Waste

Chris Oestereich; MBA, ALM, FRSA
Linear to Circular
chris@lineartocircular.com

lineartocircular.com
Working
 Alberstons/SuperValu
 Led Zero Waste Programs designed to divert at least 90% of waste from landfill
 Project Manager leading multi-year, multi-firm, & international projects
Writing
 Columnist/Contributor: Salt Magazine, Harvard Business Review, CSR Asia, Sustainable
Brands
 Publisher/Editor: The Wicked Problems Collaborative
Learning
 Olin Business School; Washington University in St. Louis: Executive MBA
 Harvard University: Masters in Environmental Management (ALM)
Serving
 FRSA and RSA Connector for Thailand
 President – St. Louis PMI (Project Management Institute)

 Supply Chain & Retail Recycling Programs
 Cardboard, Plastics, Metals, Wood (Pallets), Styrofoam
 Special Projects
 Carts, Check processing machines, etc.
 Food Diversion
 Donations, Waste to Animal Feed, Waste to Energy
 Internal Zero Waste Certification Program
 Cost Saving Mandate
 Results:
 Reduced costs, increased revenues, and saved jobs (and programs from being cancelled)
during an economic downturn.

4
1) The “What”
 The Changing Paradigm
 RSA Bangkok Stammtisch/George the Poet
on Climate Change
 Inverting the Waste Pyramid
2) The “Why”
 The SDGs
 Avoiding Complexity/A Note of Caution
3) The “How”
 Story: Ugly Fruits
4) Case Studies
 Guidelines
 Story: Compete on Execution
 Case #1 – Philanthropic Fiasco
 Story: Bio Bean
 Case #2 – Coconut Castoffs
 Making it Work (Hard & Soft System
Design)
 Case #3 – New Horizons or Holistic Hotels
 Balanced Approach
 Case #4 – Floundering Fishermen
 Maintaining Momentum
 Case Study Review
5) A Journey Without End
6) Wrap-Up/Resources

 Herman Daly’s Model:
1. For renewable resources: The rate of harvest should not exceed the rate of
regeneration (sustainable yield) Ex: Fish, trees, water
2. For pollution: The rates of waste generation from projects should not exceed the
assimilative capacity of the environment (sustainable waste disposal) Ex: Sewage,
CO2
3. For nonrenewable resources: The depletion of the nonrenewable resources should
require comparable development of renewable substitutes for that resource. Ex:
Developing solar/wind to replace coal/oil use
Potential business approaches:
 CSR Leader/Department
 Integrate Sustainability

6
Old: Big world, Few people, Plentiful
resources
 New: Small world, Many people,
Fewer resources
Take Make Waste
Take
Make
Replace

 Listed Thai companies are encouraged to draft CSR reports
 Governments tend to start with “Encouraged” before going to “Required”
 A growing number of customers demand it
 Avoiding Complexity – A Business Transformation Opportunity
 Staying ahead can provide competitive advantages and helps avoid the need to react to
regulatory changes
 It’s about staying ahead of regulations, and the competition
 Waiting to react can lead to the Rube Goldberg Effect
 Done properly, it can improve business performance
 The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Inputs
•Water
•Energy
•Raw materials
Processes
•Manufacturing
•Preparation
•Transportation
Outputs
•Products
•Services
•Waste

 Treat the case studies as initial committee meetings designed to seek options.
 Please use the ideation process that’s requested with each case.
 Please don’t hesitate to ask questions!

Philanthropy is not always about giving money.

 Format: Group Brainstorming
 Work together to seek opportunities that might be worth further investigation.
 Questions to consider if you get stuck
 What communities do you serve and what are their most pressing needs?
 Do any of their needs align with your company’s products, services, or competencies?
 Review the SDGs for potential opportunities.

 Format: Note and Vote (We can skip the voting part)
 Questions to consider:
 What communities do you serve and what are their most pressing needs?
 Do any of their needs align with your company’s products, services, or competencies?
 Review the inverted waste hierarchy.
 Review the SDGs for potential opportunities.

• Model and test
• Gather data and user feedback
• Iterate
• Work to quickly evolve toward viable systems

 Ethnography (Observe/discuss current behaviors)
 Engage staff to co-create solutions
 Employees need to take ownership for sustained impact
 Intrapreneurship

 Format: Brain Writing
 Who might you put in charge of this work? Will it be a specific department’s
responsibility, or could it be integrated throughout the firm? Should they limit their
activities to the problem/opportunity at hand, or should they
 If physical systems (the “hard” stuff) are needed, how might those be designed?
 How might you get the company culture to accept and support these changes? (How will
you get the changes to stick?)
 Can the firm handle the work that’s needed, or do you need to find partners?
 Given the circumstances, what criteria might be important for evaluating partners beyond the
ability to provide the desired service?

 Good “Hard” systems make it possible for the system to work
 Good “Soft” systems make it happen
 Good “Hard” systems on their own will often not be used
 Good “Soft” systems might work on their own, but they’ll be dependent on
individuals to keep it going
 Note: Having people committed to make the system work is crucial. Brining them
to the table when the system is designed/tested can help a great deal.

 Format: Split Session
 What are likely the firm’s capabilities?
 What are adjacent industries
 What could they do to minimize the changes to their business?
 What big changes could the consider?
 Could they pilot something small to reduce risks?

MAINTAINING
MOMENTUM
As an individual As an organization

 Were these cases helpful for helping you frame some of these issues?
 Did you prefer any of the formats more or less?
 What did you like/dislike?
 Do you feel like you could start looking at problems like this for your firm?
Cases – Underlying Themes:
1. Philanthropic Fiasco (Internal Consistency)
2. Coconut Castoffs (Reducing Waste)
3. New Horizons & Holistic Hotels (Aligning Strategy with SDGs & Creating
Opportunities)
4. Floundering Fishermen (Adapting to Changing Circumstances)

 The SDGs: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs
 Resilience Exchange: https://resilience-exchange.sphaera.world/
 Sustainable Brands: http://www.sustainablebrands.com/
 CSR Asia: http://www.csr-asia.com/
 International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD): https://www.iisd.org/
 Practictioner’s Hub for Inclusive Business: http://www.inclusivebusinesshub.org/
 CSRwire: http://www.csrwire.com/
 Triple Pundit: http://www.triplepundit.com/
 The Donella Meadows Institute: http://donellameadows.org/
 Food Marketing Institute – Sustainability: http://www.fmi.org/industry-
topics/sustainability
 MSI Apparel Coalition: http://msi.apparelcoalition.org/

Internal consistency
Ensuring that the values of sustainable development permeate throughout the company usually starts at the CEO's office.
However, the best intentions are meaningless if they are lodged in the mind of one individual. Changing a company's culture and
outlook requires a contribution from everyone, working as a team.
 Prepare a mission statement
 Measure and report on your progress and performance
 In-house waste reduction and pollution prevention teams
 Materials that inform employees about economic, environmental and social trends
 Lines of communication
External credibility
Customer loyalty, public credibility, and investor confidence are gained by companies that are perceived to be doing things right.
Perfection is not possible, but definable progress and effective communications are essential.
 Annual sustainable development report
 A commitment to honest and accessible public relations
 A commitment to community development efforts
Forging external relationships
 Work with innovative business associations
 Tap the expertise of non-profit organizations
 Contract with the best
 Have fun, stay healthy, and enjoy your work in an increasingly stressful world

Getting to Zero Waste

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Editor's Notes