EcoM2 web portal: Collecting empirical data and supporting companies' ecodesign implementation and management

Abstract

Despite the recognition of the potential benefits of ecodesign, a promising approach to integrate environmental concerns into the product development process, its application has failed to reach large numbers of companies and sectors worldwide due to managerial difficulties. In response to that a comprehensive framework has been developed, with the aim of ensuring systematic management, implementation and continuous improvement of the ecodesign process. The framework, called Ecodesign Maturity Model (EcoM2), enables the diagnosis of the company’s ecodesign maturity profile; the identification of strengths and limitations; and the establishment of strategic roadmaps for improved ecodesign implementation. This paper describes the development of the EcoM2 web portal, which will allow for the framework to be tested on greater numbers of companies and at the same time to provide a quick diagnosis of their current ecodesign maturity profile. Analyses of the collected data will allow the establishment of patterns on ecodesign implementation in regards to criteria such as sector and size of companies and the improvement of empirical knowledge on ecodesign implementation and best practices.