Green manufacturing: from a conceptual background to multiple case studies

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the integration of environmental issues in the context of manufacturing function/production (or operations), which is considered the organizational area that should lead corporate environmental management. We present a background on the greening of the manufacturing area, especially in terms of product development, process, quality management and logistics. Four case studies of Brazilian companies are presented as part of the study, and it is found that the maturity level of these companies' environmental management tends to follow the degree to which the environment has been inserted into subareas of production, especially in the process of product development. However, difficulties encountered in greening a company's logistics activities are also recognized in most cases. It is concluded that companies can overcome this challenge by adopting new concepts of green supply chain management. The notes highlight the observed distance between arguments in the international literature and the reality of Brazilian companies on the greening of manufacturing aspects.

Environmental management; Manufacturing; Product development; Sustainability