A Six Sigma Approach to Sustainability

A Six Sigma Approach to Sustainability

by Holly A. Duckworth, Andrea Hoffmeier
Released February 2016
Publisher(s): CRC Press
ISBN: 9781498788250

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Book description

In an age when most business plans extend only to the next quarterly reporting period, the authors propose an audaciously longer view of future planning. The authors of this book take a cue from Kongo Gumi, a Japanese construction company that managed to thrive as a family-owned business for nearly 1500 years. The book explains and demonstrates the meaning of CISR - continual improvement for social responsibility - and illustrates the rigorous six-step SOFAIR methodology with many examples. Based on decades of experience, the book explains how existing organizational continual improvement efforts can be adapted to also focus on sustainability.

Table of contents

  1. Preface
  2. Authors
  3. Acknowledgments
  4. Chapter 1: Continual Improvement for Social Responsibility
    1. 1.1 Introduction
      1. 1.1.1 Our Purpose
      2. 1.1.2 Our Audience
      3. 1.1.3 How to Use This Book
    2. 1.2 What Is Social Responsibility?
      1. 1.2.1 Sustainability as a Goal
      2. 1.2.2 Quality Movement
      3. 1.2.3 Social Responsibility Movement
      4. 1.2.4 Similarities to the Quality Movement
    3. 1.3 Current Trends in Social Responsibility
      1. 1.3.1 Business Imperatives
      2. 1.3.2 ISO 26000 Core Subjects
      3. 1.3.3 Organizational Governance
      4. 1.3.4 Human Rights
      5. 1.3.5 Labor Practices
      6. 1.3.6 Environment
      7. 1.3.7 Fair Operating Practices
      8. 1.3.8 Consumer Issues
      9. 1.3.9 Community Involvement and Development
  5. Chapter 2: The Story of Continual Improvement
    1. 2.1 The History of the Quality Movement
    2. 2.2 The History of Six Sigma
    3. 2.3 History of the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving
    4. 2.4 Why Organizational Structure Is Important
    5. 2.5 Important Factors in a Continual Improvement Program
    6. 2.6 Typical Continual Improvement Program
    7. 2.7 Strategy and Targets
    8. 2.8 Roles and Responsibilities
    9. 2.9 Methodology
    10. 2.10 Putting the CI Program Together
      1. 2.10.1 The DMAIC Methodology
      2. 2.10.2 A DMAIC Example
        1. 2.10.2.1 An Example: Define Phase
        2. 2.10.2.2 An Example: Measure Phase
        3. 2.10.2.3 An Example: Analyze Phase
        4. 2.10.2.4 An Example: Improve Phase
        5. 2.10.2.5 An Example: Control Phase
      3. 2.10.3 DMAIC in Summary
    11. 2.11 It’s Time to Get to Work
  6. Chapter 3: The SOFAIR Method
    1. 3.1 Introduction to CISR and SOFAIR
      1. 3.1.1 CISR as a Methodology: SOFAIR as a Method
      2. 3.1.2 CISR as a Program
      3. 3.1.3 CISR as a Culture
    2. 3.2 Operational Definitions of CISR and SOFAIR Terms
      1. 3.2.1 Continual
      2. 3.2.2 Improvement
      3. 3.2.3 Social
      4. 3.2.4 Responsibility
      5. 3.2.5 Stakeholders
      6. 3.2.6 Subjects
      7. 3.2.7 Objective
      8. 3.2.8 Function
      9. 3.2.9 Focus
      10. 3.2.10 Analyze
      11. 3.2.11 Innovate
      12. 3.2.12 Improve
      13. 3.2.13 Report
      14. 3.2.14 Repeat
    3. 3.3 A Walk through the SOFAIR Method
      1. 3.3.1 An Example: Stakeholders and Subjects Phase
      2. 3.3.2 An Example: Objective Phase
      3. 3.3.3 An Example: Function and Focus Phase
      4. 3.3.4 An Example: Analyze Phase
      5. 3.3.5 An Example: Innovate and Improve Phase
      6. 3.3.6 An Example: Report and Repeat Phase
    4. 3.4 SOFAIR in Summary
  7. Chapter 4: How SOFAIR Is Deployed in an Organization
    1. 4.1 Stakeholders and Subjects Phase
      1. 4.1.1 Stakeholders
      2. 4.1.2 Voice of the Stakeholder
      3. 4.1.3 Subjects
      4. 4.1.4 Organizational Governance
      5. 4.1.5 Human Rights
      6. 4.1.6 Labor Practices
      7. 4.1.7 Environment
      8. 4.1.8 Fair Operating Practices
      9. 4.1.9 Consumer Issues
      10. 4.1.10 Community Involvement and Development
      11. 4.1.11 Materiality
      12. 4.1.12 Stakeholders and Subjects
    2. 4.2 Objective Phase
      1. 4.2.1 Business Strategy
      2. 4.2.2 Hoshin Kanri
      3. 4.2.3 Projects
      4. 4.2.4 Communication
      5. 4.2.5 Function and Focus Phase
      6. 4.2.6 Function
      7. 4.2.7 System Thinking
      8. 4.2.8 Process Flow
      9. 4.2.9 Focus
      10. 4.2.10 Qualitative Prioritization Tools
      11. 4.2.11 Quantitative Prioritization Tools
    3. 4.3 Analyze Phase
      1. 4.3.1 Risk Analysis
      2. 4.3.2 Causal Analysis
    4. 4.4 Innovate and Improve Phase
      1. 4.4.1 Innovate
      2. 4.4.2 TRIZ
      3. 4.4.3 7-Ways
      4. 4.4.4 Improve
      5. 4.4.5 Selecting Solutions
      6. 4.4.6 Improvement Implementation
    5. 4.5 Report and Repeat Phase
      1. 4.5.1 Reporting as Strategy
      2. 4.5.2 Internal Reports
      3. 4.5.3 External Reports
      4. 4.5.4 Repeat
      5. 4.5.5 Continual Improvement
      6. 4.5.6 Choosing the Next Opportunity
      7. 4.5.7 Building a CISR Culture
  8. Chapter 5: Examples of SOFAIR in Action
    1. 5.1 How to Get Started
    2. 5.2 SOFAIR Example: Healthcare
      1. 5.2.1 Stakeholders and Subjects
      2. 5.2.2 Objective
      3. 5.2.3 Function and Focus
      4. 5.2.4 Analyze
      5. 5.2.5 Innovate and Improve
      6. 5.2.6 Report and Repeat
    3. 5.3 SOFAIR Example: Manufacturing
      1. 5.3.1 Stakeholders and Subjects
      2. 5.3.2 Objective
      3. 5.3.3 Function and Focus
      4. 5.3.4 Analyze
      5. 5.3.5 Innovate and Improve
      6. 5.3.6 Report and Repeat
    4. 5.4 SOFAIR Example: Business Process
      1. 5.4.1 Stakeholders and Subjects
      2. 5.4.2 Objective
      3. 5.4.3 Function and Focus
      4. 5.4.4 Analyze
      5. 5.4.5 Innovate and Improve
      6. 5.4.6 Report and Repeat
    5. 5.5 SOFAIR Example: Personal
      1. 5.5.1 Stakeholders and Subjects
      2. 5.5.2 Objective
      3. 5.5.3 Function and Focus
      4. 5.5.4 Analyze
      5. 5.5.5 Innovate and Improve
      6. 5.5.6 Report and Repeat
  9. Chapter 6: Taking Action
    1. 6.1 Ten Things an Organizational Leader Can Do Today as Social Responsibility Action
      1. 6.1.1 Set the Tone with the Seven Principles
      2. 6.1.2 Set Strategy with 1500 Year Thinking
      3. 6.1.3 Embed SR as a Part of Business Strategy
      4. 6.1.4 Measure Progress
      5. 6.1.5 Allocate Resources
      6. 6.1.6 Set Social Responsibility Training and Development Expectations
      7. 6.1.7 Reward and Recognize SR Performance Improvement
      8. 6.1.8 Benchmark and Collaborate
      9. 6.1.9 Persevere
      10. 6.1.10 Walk the Talk
    2. 6.2 Ten Things a Project Leader Can Do Today as Social Responsibility Action
      1. 6.2.1 Bring Stakeholder Awareness to the Project
      2. 6.2.2 Use What Works for You
      3. 6.2.3 Motivate Team Members
      4. 6.2.4 Engage Cross-Functionally
      5. 6.2.5 Engage with Partners Inside and Outside Your Organization
      6. 6.2.6 Share with Other Project Leaders
      7. 6.2.7 Communicate Project Results
      8. 6.2.8 Continually Improve Your Skills
      9. 6.2.9 Be Aware of Threats
      10. 6.2.10 Manage Your Projects
    3. 6.3 Ten Things a Communicator Can Do Today as SR Action
      1. 6.3.1 Raise Awareness
      2. 6.3.2 Report: Publicly
      3. 6.3.3 Facilitate Stakeholder Dialogue
      4. 6.3.4 Stop the Spin
      5. 6.3.5 Look for Active and Passive Stakeholder Information
      6. 6.3.6 Connect People and Initiatives within the Organization
      7. 6.3.7 Balance Business Needs with Reporting
      8. 6.3.8 Connect Any Philanthropy to Business Strategy
      9. 6.3.9 Be a Participant in Projects
      10. 6.3.10 Communicate Praises of Social Responsibility Improvers in the Field
    4. 6.4 Ten Things a Team Member Can Do Today as Social Responsibility Action
      1. 6.4.1 Participate in Social Responsibility Improvement
      2. 6.4.2 Recognize Social Responsibility Risk in Your Surroundings
      3. 6.4.3 Report Social Responsibility Threats
      4. 6.4.4 Take a Systems Perspective
      5. 6.4.5 Learn the Tools
      6. 6.4.6 Practice Social Responsibility at Work and Home
      7. 6.4.7 Get Active in Your Community
      8. 6.4.8 Leverage Team Leadership Skills
      9. 6.4.9 Think about the Next Generation
      10. 6.4.10 Seek Perfection in the Day-to-Day
  10. Appendix A: Glossary
  11. Appendix B: Additional References for CISR Practitioners
  12. Appendix C: References

Product information

  • Title: A Six Sigma Approach to Sustainability
  • Author(s): Holly A. Duckworth, Andrea Hoffmeier
  • Release date: February 2016
  • Publisher(s): CRC Press
  • ISBN: 9781498788250