Lecture:
Cradle to cradle implementation
18:00h
Day two, Saturday 10 September
Collegium Artisticum, Sarajevo

 

· Rudi Daelmans, Sustainability Director at Desso since 2007
· 26-year career at Desso started on the production line, packing carpet
tiles into boxes
· From there Rudi progressed to production line manager and before
moving to the Research and Development department where he spent
15 years he build and started the carpet dying line in the carpet tile
plant
· Before moving on to his present role he was for 3 years responsible for
R&D, Process improvement Safety Health & Environment, Product
quality and Investment projects at the carpet tile plant.
· During his time in R&D, Rudi was instrumental in developing the
alternate carpet tile backing EcoBase, which can be recycled fully back
into Desso’s own production process
· When accepting the new role in 2007, it was his role to implement
sustainability further into the company
· He completed the sustainability vision for the company around about
the same time as attending a conference where Michael Braungart
spoke about the Cradle to Cradle® cycle, which then led Desso down
this path
· What Rudi liked so much about Cradle to Cradle that for the first time it
was a logical cycle where the manufacturer had to take some
responsibility for the waste it was putting on the market, and that the
whole process from the raw materials to the chemicals used in the
production process needed to be reviewed and evaluated against what
impact they would be having on the environment. Sustainability with
substance!
· Rudi’s job is a delicate balancing act between implementing the Cradle
to Cradle® principles while meeting customer expectations of the final
products against design, quality, price and functionality
· Rudi arranged for all the staff to be educated on the Cradle to Cradle
cycle and everyone at Desso has met with Michael Braungart
· On a daily basis it is Rudi’s job to implement change, and monitor all
products at different stages of production looking closely at chemicals
and raw materials being used as well as how to produce energy and
have good practises on social aspects.
· A whole new channel is communications and marketing for him and
balancing the need to educate the outside world without green washing
· Four years in, Rudi has now introduced the Refinity® process into
Desso and hopes by the end of 2012 to have a Refinity plant in the UK
and one in France in 2013

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