Resource-environment-society integrated responsible production: Conceptions, measurements, implementation framework

Abstract

Responsible production, as one of sustainable development goals (SDG 12), is a viable way for various sectors to alleviate the energy and resource stress, environmental damages and social impacts caused by their pollution and energy, resources consumption, and receives growing attention in manufacturing operations. Manufacturing industry, which are widely dispersed and take up a lot of resources and has a significant impact on the environment and society, possesses considerable potential for promotion in sustainable development. However, there is no consensual understanding of what responsible production in manufacturing industry is and what the measurements and indictors are. This study proposes a new approach of resource-environment-society integrated responsible production (RES-RP) in manufacturing industry to overcome current challenges. Firstly, a definition from integrated perspective of the resource-environment-society, an integrated framework and characteristics of the resource-environment-society integrated responsible production are presented benefiting for laying a foundation for responsible production research. Besides, measurements and implementation of the resource-environment-society integrated responsible production comprising multi-dimensional perspectives, performance indicators, and implementation approach are proposed, which can be conducive to application and diffusion of responsible production practices. In addition, a case study demonstrated the practicality of the proposed approach by machining workpiece in a real machining plant. The study provides an updated solution to facilitate the integrated development of responsible production.