“We wanted to do things differently to other eco-footprint models and to go beyond simply analyzing the costs and environmental footprint per kilogram of Twaron® “.
The Customer Benefit Model: An innovative solution built on
collaboration
“Of all Teijin Aramid’s sustainability collaborations, I
am especially proud of our development of the Customer Benefit Model (CBM). This
story begins back in 2008 and the early days of our collaboration with a leading
chemical producer. The company was a sustainability frontrunner, particularly
regarding calculating its ecological footprint and then using this to measure and
communicate sustainability through Eco-Efficiency Analysis.
At Teijin Aramid, we were looking to develop a system to better understand and express the intrinsic sustainability value of our products and processes. We began cooperating with them on an eco-footprint study for Twaron®. Out of this, came the idea to develop a model.
A new way of thinking
We wanted to do things differently to
other eco-footprint models and to go beyond simply analyzing the costs and
environmental footprint per kilogram of Twaron®. We believed the best way
to assess eco-efficiency was to undertake a function-based analysis over the
entire lifecycle of a product, from cradle to end of life. This meant considering
both the financial and ecological perspective, to understand how our product
functions in an application relative to other materials over the entire value chain.
Development
Together with sustainability consultants Ecomatters,
we developed an innovative model that combined an environmental lifecycle assessment
with lifecycle costing. Our solution compared the required raw materials and other
resources, and their required quantities for a specific function. It then evaluated
the differences during the use phase, the estimated durability of the product, its
performance, end of life, and finally its cost-efficiency in this function. The
Customer Benefit Model was born!
Expanding our horizons
The CBM is a proven model that is
certified according to ISO standards by TÜV and has won several awards. Most
importantly, the model generates real value for our customers. It offers them
insights in more environmentally friendly solutions to help their applications run
more efficiently and sustainably. More than ten years later, we continue to adapt
and refine the CBM, while extending its use to new customers and applications. The
model can also support Teijin Aramid’s circularity goals by enabling closer
alignment with our value chain partners: our suppliers on one side, and application
developers and end-users on the other.
Understanding the full impact of products like Twaron® in their function across the value chain will help us develop new ways to recycle and reuse our materials after an application reaches its end of life. Our message to our partners is “Let’s connect!”
