Before I was a sustainability professional, I was an “Industrial Engineer.” Industrial engineering is not the study of mechanics or electricity, but rather the study of process. How do we maximize efficiency and throughput of materials? How do we empower workers to voice and solve problems? How do we build quality in, rather than check for it after? The field was pioneered by innovative businessmen such as Henry Ford (Ford) and Taiichi Ohno (Toyota).

In my studies I learned about subjects such as Lean/Six Sigma, 6S, takt time, spaghetti mapping, and machining. Industrial Engineering can be focused heavily on statistics, distribution curves, and measuring things like machine uptime. However, utilized most effectively, it also employs “softer” skills such as human performance, stakeholder management, and deploying effective strategies. In the modern workplace, Industrial Engineering is also referred to as “Operational Excellence.” Basically, what Industrial Engineers try to do is make processes as efficient as possible by driving down waste.

In fact, there’s a handy acronym we use to remind us of the “deadly wastes”: DOWNTIME.

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As an early career professional, I remember thinking, “wow! we’ve truly thought of everything. I'd be surprised if there was ever another “waste” discovered.”

And then I got into Sustainability. I realized there were important aspects of manufacturing that should certainly be considered inefficiencies and waste that weren't talked about in Industrial Engineering circles. Things like: excess use of energy and water, greenhouse gas emissions and pollution, and environmental noncompliance. Industrial Engineering is extremely focused on "value-added" machines and administrative tasks, all in efforts to reduce the bottom line and thus increase profit margins. But what about the utilities that keep the machines running? What about the pollution facilities release due to combustion and chemicals?

Facilities management has been overlooked in the field of Industrial Engineering. Given that, on average, utilities typically cost between 20-30% of a facility’s operating budget, or that a single environmental violation could shut down a whole plant, it is surprising that this isn’t more of a focus for the Industrial Engineering field. The good news is, I can’t think of a group more well-positioned to embrace and implement the concepts of “sustainable manufacturing”- a field only growing in popularity and scrutiny.

“Everyone you meet knows something you don’t.”

Sustainability professionals have a vast wealth of knowledge related to climate or biodiversity or compliance, but may not have as much experience with skills like influencing stakeholders and developing strategy. The most successful Industrial Engineers I know understand the importance of those soft skills and typically do have experience with coming into a department or area, working with the people, and building new, better processes hand-in-hand with them. In doing this it is our goal to ultimately build a “sustainable culture”, where principles like safety and quality are integrated into business processes rather than seen as an add on or flavor of the month. Sustainability should be treated no differently.

I see a great partnership opportunities between Sustainability and Industrial Engineer professionals to work with each other and advance these critical concepts. Failure to combine these fields is just another waste!