ECO-EFICIENCIA PARA LA PEQUEÑA Y MEDIANA EMPRESA DESDE LA PERSPECTIVA DEL DISEÑO

Abstract

The objective of this communication is to present the courses of action that a small and medium enterprise (SME) can adopt concerning the achievement of eco-efficiency. For that, on the one hand a literature review about the concept of eco-efficiency is carried out, on the other hand, the practical experience of one of the Basque Country’s eco-design lab is analysed. As a result, a scale of intervention which illustrates the different eco-efficiency levels applicable to SMEs is presented. These interventions cover incremental innovations based on process and product technological improvements, socio-technological innovations on value propositions and business models, and finally radical innovations that change the current socioeconomic and environmental system. As conclusion, after analysing the criticalities of each level of intervention, a number of guide lines for the positioning of the company on the scale are proposed.