Design for value maximization: putting a business lens on environmental activities

Design for environment, DFE, is an important step in controlling environmental impacts, but alone, it fails to incorporate common business considerations, thus limiting its potential acceptance within companies. Design for value maximization, DFVM, is a system that places environmental concerns in the forefront by integrating broadly accepted business tools, and by treating cost as the primary unit of measure. This process of “putting a business lens on environmental activities” offers environmental professionals the opportunity to move from compliance to strategic, from cost center to value-added performer within the firm