Design measures to address carbon emissions in products’ lifecycle: an empirical analysis

Companies need to implement low-carbon operations, including product-related innovation initiatives. The literature on low-carbon product design has grown, but existing studies are primarily theoretical. This empirical study identifies design measures adopted by companies committed to GHG emission reduction. A qualitative analysis of the climate change reports from a sample of companies reporting to the CDP was conducted. Design measures were identified and classified. The findings shed light on design measures contributing to emission reduction in different product lifecycle phases.