Sustainability is moving closer to the core of product strategy. Regulatory change, customer expectations and investor pressure are converging. Businesses are being asked to show not only that their operations are sustainable, but that their products are too.
Product sustainability presents a distinct challenge. Unlike corporate sustainability, which is often managed centrally, product sustainability cuts across functions. It affects sourcing, design, marketing, logistics and aftersales. As a result, many organisations do not know where to begin.
Our approach at Jordisk is to help companies develop practical and scalable approaches to sustainability. We recently published a report which describes what companies need to do to approach product sustainability. Read on for a summary, or click here to get the report.
Six Steps to Get Started
1. Establish Objectives and Priorities
Start by defining what sustainable products mean in your business context. Are you focused on compliance, value chain emissions, or brand differentiation? Objectives should reflect material impacts and provide clear direction. Without this clarity, efforts will fragment and progress will be limited.
2. Map Your Product Management Approach
Most companies lack a consistent view of how products are managed from design through to end of life. Mapping the full product lifecycle helps surface where sustainability can be integrated and where governance or information gaps exist. It also clarifies ownership across teams.Start by defining what sustainable products mean in your business context. Are you focused on compliance, value chain emissions, or brand differentiation? Objectives should reflect material impacts and provide clear direction. Without this clarity, efforts will fragment and progress will be limited.
3. Design Clear Policies
Sustainability goals must be embedded in policy. These should be specific, actionable and aligned with how the business operates. Examples include approved material lists, design rules for recyclability and packaging standards. Coherence across functions is essential to avoid trade-offs and inefficiencies.
4. Identify Data and Information Requirements
Good decisions rely on good information. Define what product data is required, who owns it and where it resides. This includes material composition, emissions, packaging content and usage characteristics. Gaps in quality, coverage or structure must be addressed to support both operations and reporting.
5. Implement Operational Changes
Policies only work when integrated into how teams operate. This may involve updating design briefs, supplier requirements or product development milestones. Change is more likely to succeed when it is built into existing processes and clearly aligned with commercial priorities.
6. Monitor and Adjust
Sustainability is not a fixed target. Regulation will evolve. Expectations will shift. Information will improve. Regular review cycles help maintain alignment, track performance and ensure your approach stays relevant and effective over time.
Why This Matters
Tackling product sustainability one regulation at a time leads to cost, complexity and duplication. A structured, joined-up approach allows businesses to embed sustainability efficiently and turn it into a strategic advantage. Establishing clear objectives, developing consistent policies, and integrating them into everyday tasks will allow teams to focus on their core responsibilities, confident that they are helping to build sustainable products.
How Jordisk Can Help
Jordisk supports clients to integrate sustainability into product strategy and operations. We help by:
Defining clear and aligned sustainability goals
Mapping current product governance and lifecycle
Designing practical policy frameworks
Improving data architecture and access
Embedding sustainability into core processes
Providing implementation support and review cycles
Whether you are just starting or scaling an existing programme, we can help you build a practical and credible approach to product sustainability. Read our full report for more information about how to approach product sustainability:
Product Sustainability: Integrating ESG into Product Strategy and Operations
