Lean and Green

Chapter 5Make a Commitmentto Being Lean and Green

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We made our environmental goals big, because of their direct effect on reducing costs.

—Paul Gowen, corporate environmental specialist,Texas Instruments

HOW many times have you heard, “Be careful what you ask for… you might just get it”? I hope you’ve heard it many times and have found—as I have—that it tends to be true. Developing a two- to three-sentence policy about your organization’s commitment to a healthy environment, and getting the policy approved by top management, goes a long way toward making your policy a reality. A policy statement provides all employees with a vision, declares your stance to customers and the community, and starts the process of real savings for the environment ...