Cost pressures restricting sustainability for manufacturers

The research polled respondents in the UK, US, Germany and France. Stalling progress in green initiatives was also revealed by 72 per cent of respondents saying that less than 50 per cent of the materials used in the manufacturing process are sustainable. An even higher percentage (79 per cent) stated that less than 50 per cent is currently powered by renewable energy.

Less than half of organisations said they were focusing on waste reduction (43 per cent), improving efficiency (43 per cent) and a reduction in power usage (29 per cent) with the latter most likely driven by rising energy costs. This is despite confidence among decision makers that their business will play a role in the global drive for net zero carbon emissions (71 per cent).

Visual Components said that rising economic pressure will likely extend beyond impacting sustainability and push organisations towards a reshoring strategy. Almost four in ten (38 per cent) said they were planning on bringing operations back to their original country, with increased costs associated. Maintaining operations across several countries and transporting goods across long distances will likely play a role.