Lean and Green in Action: Drivers, Interdependencies and Performance of Enviromental Projects

The relationship of lean manufacturing and environmental performance on the one side and environmental management and operational performance on the other side has widely been investigated but final benefits are still uncertain. Anyway, several researches have shown that some lean and green practices actually synergistically interact to improve plant performance. Using a case study methodology, the present paper aims to understand how the two sets of practices interact together and how they affect operational and environmental performance. Based on the analysis of three successful projects of two Italian plants, we find that timing of implementation, i.e. sequential vs simultaneous, defines modes of managing lean and green practices, i.e. planning vs mutual adjustment, that ultimately affect plant performance. Finally, our findings identifies what drivers foster lean practices and green practices to be synergic and jointly produce a positive impact on both environmental and operational performance.