A Framework to Enhance Corporate Sustainability in Manufacturing Through Digital Technologies and System Thinking

The manufacturing industry plays a crucial role in addressing sustainability challenges by integrating eco-friendly practices into product design. Employing a System Thinking methodology, this research comprehensively considers the interconnected components of a product, entities involved, and their interactions. The study focuses on developing a corporate sustainability tool for the entire supply chain, leveraging Digital Twin (DT), Virtual Reality (VR), and Augmented Reality (AR) to facilitate eco-design. Benchmarking existing monitoring systems and case studies in sustainable product design identifies gaps and opportunities, establishing guidelines for integrating digital technologies. Within the industrial context, the designer implements the system to ensure the development of eco-compatible products (Green Design), considering not only environmental impact, but also social change. The aim of this paper is to design a corporate sustainability tool based on a digital product model enriched with specific product and process information. This tool serves as an instrument for the company to evaluate environmental, social and governance data, make strategic sustainability decisions, and create company dashboards that facilitate the visualization and analysis of this data. The creation of a Digital Product Passport (DPP) will offer valuable information on the sustainability aspects of the product, benefiting end users who utilize the product. Conducted within a co-financed Ph.D. program with an Italian industrial machinery manufacturer, the research addresses challenges in academia-industry collaboration, enhancing the practical application of designed systems. The findings have significant implications for the manufacturing industry, contributing to sustainable product design practices and establishing a standardized framework for assessing and communicating product sustainability