This book describes what happened in the field of EcoDesign at the Consumer Electronics Division (PCE) of Philips Electronics in the years 1993-2008. Fifty stories illustrate the five overlapping stages of its development: Get the facts, stimulate creative thinking, implement and validate, integrate into design and production, and communicate results effectively. EcoDesign has been introduced to PCE through a bottom-up approach with an emphasis on common sense. This ensured a wide acceptance and a strong participation. As a result, EcoDesign turned out to have a significance which went far beyond just environmental improvements. Apart from direct cost reductions, it turned to be an effective concept to critically review decisions taken in the past. In its mature form it has grown into a powerful general management tool. ...

The electronics industry has been dealing with EcoDesign as of the early nineties of last century. There has been a variety of drivers to do so, varying from ethics to complying with (new) environmental legislation. After 25 years a new generation of EcoDesigners has entered the field. This generation operates from the wider sustainability perspective, that is taking apart from environmental also social and economic considerations into account. It is supported by a knowledge base which can be accessed through internet and through smart phones. This is quite a difference compared with the period when EcoDesign started. The scene has therefore changed but many issues to be addressed by EcoDesign have not. The key issues are still energy, materials, packaging and transport, chemical content and recyclability. Making EcoDesign successful in the business is facing similar hurdles as twenty years ago....

1. In what kind of company was EcoDesign being introduced in 1993? 2. EcoDesign inside companies in the Electronics sector. 3. What is EcoDesign? 4. EcoDesign at Philips Consumer Electronics: a special case. 5. The 50 Stories about the development of EcoDesign at Philips Consumer Electronics. 6. Stage 1. Get facts, why are things as they are? 7. Stage 2. Fostering Creativity. 8. Stage 3. Implementation and Validation. 9. Stage 4. Structure. 10. Stage 5. Communication and Green Marketing. 11. Teaching Applied EcoDesign. 12. Looking back and looking forward. ...

The booklet ‘EcoDesign at Philips Consumer Electronics (PCE), 1993-2008, the Reverse Perspective’, described the development of EcoDesign in this division of the Philips concern. The introduction process was summarized in a model consisting of five ‘waves’. Some fifty short stories illustrating these developments were presented as well. This material represents a set of experiences of which many elements are still relevant today for practitioners of applied EcoDesign and for environmental managers wanting to introduce EcoDesign in their organizations. Soon after the publication of the booklet, the question came up why the developments as described happened as they did? Most research/academic literature describe how EcoDesign should be introduced in industrial organizations in a way quite different from what happened at PCE. Is PCE a special case, or is a different approach required for the implementation of EcoDesign in the electronics industry? And how can EcoDesign be introduced much faster than the 10 years it took at PCE to reach maturity? In this new publication, the events at PCE are also put into a more general perspective:...

"Organizational decisions –good, bad or confusing– did not guarantee that EcoDesign was automatically on the agenda of PCE. Ensuring credibility and being on the action agenda were the first priority…." "Making clear that environmental benefits combine often with tangible business benefits (cost reduction, streamlining of operation) and putting the business benefits first in the communication in the internal value chain added a lot to the credibility and acceptance of the environmental activities…." "After the year 2000 the concept of making explicit joint road maps with key suppliers has been exploited to the full…." "Legislation and regulation are necessary to put environmental issues which are seen as societally relevant on the agenda and to ensure a minimum of environmental performance by industry. However their contribution to positive value creation for customers is very limited; the opportunities are far bigger than that." ...

1. An intriguing question: why did the introduction of EcoDesign at PCE happen in the way it did? 2. Decisions and Circumstances. 3. 1993-1994: Learning through Struggling. 4. 1995-1996, EcoDesign is really taking off. 5. Breakthrough of EcoDesign at the Business Groups. 6. Consolidating Applied EcoDesign through integration into procedures, programs and overall strategy. 7. Communication about EcoDesign, Green Marketing. 8. Introducing EcoDesign into Industry faster. 9. A kick start in Applied EcoDesign; 14 recommendations to get on the road quickly. 10. Comparing EcoDesign as it happened at PCE with academic views of how to do it. 11. Relating EcoDesign at PCE to different management perspectives. 12. Conclusions. ...