DEFINE THE SUSTAINABLE CHARACTERISTICS OF PRODUCTS IN PIM

First and foremost: PIM systems ensure that product information is centrally managed. The significant advantage of this is that you can easily add additional information to the system. You can elaborate on the environmental friendliness of certain materials, the recyclability of packaging, and other sustainable attributes of products. At a glance, it’s clear how environmentally friendly your product – or at least its packaging – is.

As a result, ecological product information becomes more consistent and transparent. All sustainable product data is clearly available in the PIM system, making it easy to compare products. This is convenient for stakeholders, partners, and customers. Everyone prefers to make informed choices, especially when sustainability plays a prominent role in your modus operandi. Goodbye misinterpretations, hello accurate, up-to-date product information.

COMPLIANCE WITH LEGISLATION THANKS TO PIM

Sustainability plays a significant role, especially when it comes to packaging. Nowadays, there are numerous legal requirements that packaging must meet, particularly in terms of sustainability, with specific guidelines in place. Much depends on the composition of the packaging material, ranging from recycled to biodegradable to renewable materials. The more packaging is reused, the more sustainable it becomes. Additionally, packaging efficiency also plays a crucial role: while B2B suppliers may easily work with bulk packaging, this approach often doesn’t suffice for the B2C sector. A prime example of this can be found in our blog about packaging in the food industry.

Packaging requirements are usually enshrined in legislation. The convenience of PIM systems lies in their ability to assist in organizing and providing product information, including the sustainability characteristics of your products. This allows all stakeholders to see the extent to which ecological choices are being made. Moreover, it can lead to a growing awareness of the role of packaging and serve as motivation for designers to create more sustainable, thoughtful packaging designs.

Let’s take a closer look at the various sustainability characteristics that can be specified in PIM:

• Material choice: Here, you provide more information about the materials used. Are they recycled, biodegradable, renewable, or composed with a low ecological footprint?
• Recyclable or reusable: When the materials used or the packaging itself are recyclable, you can indicate this in the system. You can also specify which specific standards the materials meet. If the raw materials can be reused, you even have the option to indicate in the system how this should be done.
• Energy efficiency: In PIM, you can display information about how energy-efficient the production process is or which renewable sources have been used. For example, efforts may have been made to reduce waste, energy consumption, or water usage in the production of the final product.
• Certifications and standards: You can easily list all sustainability certifications that your product meets in PIM.
• Used chemical substances: You have the option to indicate how harmful chemicals have been avoided or, for example, when environmentally friendly materials such as ink or dyes have been chosen.

Easily generate sustainability reports

Another handy aspect of transparently maintaining your sustainability information in a PIM system is that you can easily generate sustainability reports afterward. All product specifications are already collected, making it easier to calculate and compare the ecological footprint of product and material choices. In short, when you specify the sustainable characteristics in your PIM system, you provide valuable information to all stakeholders involved.

The possibilities in PIM are quite endless. Let us assist you in managing your master data and explore what PIM can mean for your business. Do you already have pressing questions? Don’t hesitate to contact us; we’re here to help you further.