The economic importance of product warranties/guarantees is to provide protection against unsatisfactory performance of products. They state that products meet a level of quality and performance that would be reasonable to expect, given their price and description. Traditionally, warranties and guarantees provide less than full insurance by manufacturers and/or suppliers against faulty products and this serves as risk-sharing between consumers, manufacturers and/or suppliers.

Collaboration can be a really powerful tool for achieving business success: think how much you could benefit from sharing resources, costs, contacts and opportunities. However joint work depends on the development of mutual trust and shared aims.

More and more companies are undertaking carbon management strategies, and corporate or product carbon footprints are a common first step. Carbon footprinting can be pursued for different purposes, fulfill different needs, and be characterized by very different levels of effort and financial costs. The challenge facing companies is to generate quality footprints that meet today’s needs as cost-effectively as possible, while anticipating future needs for footprinting information.

More and more companies are undertaking carbon management strategies, and corporate or product carbon footprints are a common first step. Carbon footprinting can be pursued for different purposes, fulfill different needs, and be characterized by very different levels of effort and financial costs. The challenge facing companies is to generate quality footprints that meet today’s needs as cost-effectively as possible, while anticipating future needs for footprinting information.

Consumers increasingly expect to be able to trace the lifecycle of a product from beginning to end, assessing its green credentials along the way. Proving products come from a sustainable, responsibly managed supply chain – including sourcing, production and distribution – can be a key differentiator for businesses.

Sustainably managing energy is a central pillar of tackling climate change and future-proofing businesses. From increasing use of renewable energies to limiting overall energy use, companies have many ways to improve their energy management and align with international energy targets.