STRATEGIC PLAN
In order to address the issues raised in the previous part, it is crucial to come up with the strategic plan to sustain the company’s operations. Eco2Wear’s plan consists of 2 major milestones, which are “Implement Sustainable Material Sourcing” and “Water Usage Reduction”. The duration of each milestone is 3 and 2.5 months respectively. Let us uncover further steps to achieve these goals.
Milestone 1 - Implement Sustainable Material Sourcing
Conducting Materiality Assessment is the first step of achieving this milestone, as it is crucial to be able to prioritise the challenges presented.
Identifying Sustainable Material Suppliers is the following step which includes extensive research of suppliers and partners, such as Clothing Manufacturers UK and others. The main focus when conducting this search is organic/recycled materials, such as cotton, polyester, and bamboo, as well as sustainable practices.
Negotiating Contracts with Suppliers is another crucial step to secure long-term partnerships and profits. The company will negotiate contracts based on fair trade and ethical sourcing principles to ensure transparency, traceability, and sustainability standards.
Pilot Test Sustainable Materials is the last step of the journey, whereby before a large scale adoption, all the materials are tested in small drops with limited availability to the market.
To sum up, Eco2Wear is currently at the third and fifth stages of the plan. The company has identified a reliable supplier of cotton/bamboo, secured partnership, and is currently doing a large-scale production with period pilot testing of new designs, material combinations and patterns.
On the other hand, Eco2Wear is actively trying to find suppliers for sustainable paint (for the logos and prints), as well as tags. In addition, the company is aware of the issue of the sustainable packaging, as well as “last mile” problem (Angner, 2023). Last mile problem is notoriously difficult and costly to solve, therefore the company is on a constant lookout for more sustainable ways to deliver the product. Below is the Gantt chart of the plan can be observed (Grant, 2022).
Milestone 2 - Water Usage Reduction
The second milestone addresses the issue of Water Usage and aims to minimise it.
First step is to Conduct a Water Footprint Assessment which includes evaluation of how much water the company uses day to day. This is done, to identify parts of the supply chain with high water consumption and target them.
Second, it is crucial to Invest in Water-Saving Technologies, such as modern manufacturing machinery, as well as water-efficient dyeing techniques. In addition, the company is promoting a closed loop system, whereby no water goes to waste, and it is recycled constantly (Hunt, 2024).
Training Employees on Water Conservation Practices is the third step towards achieving the milestone. One of the company’s aims is to “Educate on Conscious Consumption” and this applies not only to consumers, but also employees. We already started implementing employee training programs and are implementing best practices to optimise water usage in our industrial operations.
Last but not least is Monitoring and Evaluating Water Usage, since it is a constant struggle to maintain low water consumption. This includes making periodic checks on our suppliers, such as Clothing Manufacturers UK and their practices, as well as doing regular environmental audits of Eco2Wear. Below can be seen the Gantt chart portraying the whole journey.
Justification of the Identified Milestone Tasks
Task 2 - Identify Sustainable Material Suppliers (Smart)
In order to do this work, research must be done and providers offering sustainable products with a Specific emphasis on environmentally friendly alternatives selected. A thorough list of eligible vendors who satisfy certain sustainability requirements will be the result, guaranteeing the process's Measurability via precise supplier selection standards. By using supplier directories, networks, and industry databases, the aim may be Achieved in four weeks. In addition, it is a Realistic job that supports the organisation's sustainability goal and is made possible by working with stakeholders and industry partners. Furthermore, it is appropriate to give the supplier selection process a two-week deadline to finish so that there is enough Time for further supplier interaction and contract negotiations (Hofmann et al., 2022).
To ensure that all tasks are reasonable and adhere to SMART guidelines for both milestones, below the example was drawn from Task 2 of the first Milestone. In doing so, Eco2Wear ensures that its effort toward the promotion of sustainability and, in this case, the specific task of the strategic plan are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely, thus allowing effectiveness in execution that realises outcomes of implemented sustainable initiatives (Yasar, 2022).