Broadening the Definition

1. Broadening the Definition • Braungart: "Partners in an intelligent materials pool agree to share access • to a common supply of a particular high-tech, high-quality material, pooling information and • purchasing power to generate a healthy system of closed loop material flows." • Alternative: A materials pooling network is a community of actors collaborating • to reduce waste and toxicity across value chains, such as through “pooling”: • a) purchasing power to influence cost, quality, and availability of a more desired material supply; • b) intelligence to minimize "contamination" of a material stream that limits ability for reuse in equal value’ applications (i.e., minimizes “downcycling”) (e.g. PP, HDPE); • c) efforts to disseminate information or educate regarding a material (e.g., PET); • d) efforts torecapture and recycle, reuse, or remanufacture the material; • e) information on alternative materials for product and processes and alternative product and process materials management systems • “It has become apparent to me that materials pooling is about defining materials, processes and • infrastructures around very specific industry needs, that enable those specific materials to be reused. • Synergies will become apparent once the specific needs are identified.” • (John Delfausse of Aveda)

2. Evolution of Materials Pooling Efforts • Phases of the materials pooling • Three phase version • Initial Investigation, • Buyer Brainstorming, • Transactional Space • Six phase version • Information: scoping the Issue • Issues Identification • Issue Prioritization (material team formed, material boundary determined) • Option Generation (R&D, look at other industries) • Commercialized Material • Materials Pooling • Not strictly sequential: dialogue often cycles back through the phases • – particularly issue prioritization and option generation, as new issues emerge • and new stakeholders become involved

3. Steps to Materials Pooling Development

4. Key Leverage: Transforming perceptions of value • Beyond the specifics of individual materials platforms, • the catalyst of materials pooling opportunities involves • transforming perceptions of value • the ability to see value in the materials stream that has not yet been harnessed. • While individual companies have some ability to see and harness such value, • on a large scale this must occur among many stakeholders.

6. Material Pooling Lifecycle Consumer Raw Material Producer Separation Collection Rework Material Converter Retailer Consolidation Manufacturer / Marketer Distributor

7. Leadership Space and Transactional Space. Players motivated by the business case Players who assume responsibility for the success of the collaboration itself Transactional Space Leadership Space

8. Information as Catalyst and a Barrier • Within the leadership space: • Inquiry oriented: people come to share openly as they are exploring possibilities and building relationships. • Collaboration across diverse companies creates dialogue, mutual understanding and trust. (organizational learning tools) • Company benefits important but longer time horizon: assumption is that creating collaborative space will lead eventually to significant benefits • Information sharing can be catalytic for other developments, including projects within other industry-specific working groups • (e.g., Aveda’s aluminum initiative within the cosmetics industry; Nike’s footwear leather initiative; Metafor’s Environmental Paper Assessment Tool). • “Our conversations liberate my thinking” • Within the transactional space, • Advocacy oriented: aim is benefit versus costs and assessment is relatively short term and based on tangible information. • Sharing of information more guarded. • Suppliers can be particularly reticent about possible risks of information disclosure regarding processes and products.

9. Role of Executive Leadership • Difficult to engage unless materials pooling seen as a strategic issue. • Moreover, the technical nature of materials issues may create a bias • toward technical experts and against executive involvement. • Yet, executive involvement may be vital in early stages • of materials pooling exploration, when project exists almost entirely • in leadership space and the business case is not yet established. • Much to be learned: perhaps, key is a few technically conversant executives • involved in the early stages to develop strategic perspective • and organizational support for investment of time for exploration and discovery.

10. The role of legislation • may or may not help to motivate a materials pooling collaboration. • Positive: creates immediate business case for action • Negative: drives compliance behaviors that • can force quick fixes to meet predetermined deadlines, • thus weakening motivation for more time-consuming collaborative efforts • (e.g., hexavalent chromium working group • & EU End of Vehicle Lifetime Directive)

11. An Incomplete Toolbox • Data Organizing Tools • Product recyclability/”gizmo” map • Analytic Perspectives • Value chain maps • Life cycle maps • General Conceptual Tools • Natural Capitalism system stock and flow diagram • Stock & flow diagrams for specific products/materials • Process Methods for Fostering Community • Ladder of Inference for effective inquiry • “World Café” and “open space” for larger group meetings