Helping purpose driven manufacturers to improve the sustainability performance of the products they make and sell
I set up this business to support product manufacturers who recognise the importance of sustainability, but lack the time, knowledge or resources to fully realise their ambitions.
Whether you’re starting from scratch, need help identifying WHAT you should be focusing on, or want to create more circularity in your business, I’m here to help.
Sustainability is a complex and often conflicting subject. Knowing where to start can be really challenging and embarking on the process can raise more questions than answers. Can small changes really make a big impact? Where should we focus our efforts to make the biggest most difference?
Dr Vicky Lofthouse
I’m a Sustainable Innovation Consultant with 25 years of experience helping businesses and organisations reduce the environmental and social impact of the products they make and sell. Showing them how to navigate the often-conflicting needs of people, the environment and business success.
Operating out of my studio in rural Warwickshire I work with companies globally to create better products and packaging, using my extensive multi-sector knowledge to question and advise across the product lifecycle.
Choosing to work with an independent consultant offers many benefits:
– 25 years of experience to hit the ground running
– Expertise on a par with consulting firms, but at a lower cost
– Regular or ad-hoc levels of support to suit your needs
– Quicker turnaround on results in many scenarios
– Broad industry knowledge supporting transfer of ideas, approaches and technologies
– Access to a wide network of sustainability specialists
My expertise
Sustainable Innovation
Research
Product Development
Design for the Circular Economy
I provide whatever is needed to support your sustainability journey including;
guidance and insight, providing real world examples, research and analysis, and connecting you to other specialist contacts in my network who can add value.
Packaging
B Corp
Design Thinking
Design for Sustainable Behaviour
The challenges you might be facing
I come across many different scenarios in my role as a consultant, but these are some of the common areas my clients want help with…
Identifying how to embed circular thinking into their business model and supply chain.
Understanding how to reduce the carbon impact of an existing product or pack.
Researching emerging materials and processes with specific technical capabilities.
Understanding the requirements of achieving B Corp.
Assessing concept ideas to determine which is best from a sustainability perspective.
Identifying where and how environmental improvements can be made to products and packaging.
Researching materials, innovations & processes to support the ongoing needs of R&D.
Removing single use plastic from packaging designs to meet new legislation.
How I deliver
Being a user-centred designer means I often tackle things from a different angle, considering the perspective of the end user (and others) and thinking more holistically than just the bottom line. The services I offer are delivered through 3 broad categories:
PROJECT SUPPORT
I provide expert knowledge and experience in sustainability to support design, R&D, and sustainability teams on specific projects.
Activities include:
- Deep dives into specific topics to support circularity/sustainability across the product lifecycle
- Competitor analysis and landscape mapping to learn from and position against brand leaders and competitors
- Innovation tracking (materials, processes, end of life) to inform R&D, procurement, and investment opportunities
- Co-design workshops, focus groups and visual mapping to understand user/stakeholder needs
RESEARCH
My research experience and extensive network across a wide range of sectors offers you a shortcut to generating research outputs.
For example:
- Strategic mapping to identify key target areas for environmental and financial success
- Sustainability analysis of design concepts, products, packaging, and servicesIn-house ‘quick and dirty’ carbon modelling to support go / no-go decision making
- Design for circularity across product and supply chains
- Visual supply chain mapping to identify opportunities for business model development
TRAINING & WORKSHOPS
I offer bespoke sustainability training, from ‘lunch and learn’ to multi-day workshops. Whether you’re looking to raise the awareness of your team or address a specific sustainability challenge.
Examples include:
- Masterclass in ‘Sustainable packaging’ – this interactive course is taught online in small groups
- Bespoke design sprint to identify sustainability opportunities in existing product development systems
- What does sustainability mean for us?