Introduction
Renault, a motor vehicle manufacturing company was founded in 1898. The headquarters of the company is in Boulogne-Billancourt, France. It operates in 118 countries and provides employment for approximately130, 000 people. The production output of the company in 2010 was 3,195,810.
The French automaker produces cars, vans and makes the third largest automaker in the world owing to its alliance with Nissan. The company contributes significantly in the electric car manufacture industry being one of the major manufacturers among leading companies.
The company has extensive associations and owns Automobile Dacia a Romanian automobile manufacture and Renault Samsung a Korean company (Taylor, 2010).
The company has a long history of car manufacturing and gourmet creativity since it was founded by Louis Renault, Marcel and Ferdinand who were brothers.
The unity of the family and dedication of the brothers produced the company which has been sustained to date by family loyalty and contribution. The business acumen of Marcel and Ferdinand acquired from running their fathers textile firm made the young aspiring engineer’s designs a reality.
The world in the recent past has been engaged in extensive measures to sustain the environment by reducing pollution. All manufacturers are required to utilize environmental friendly production methods and at the same time ensure that their products are also designed to minimize environmental pollution. Renault Company has been involved extensively in this effort by having elaborate sustainability criteria.
Sustainability criteria
The advent of technology and rising number of industries all the world has culminated into worldwide concern on sustainability. The future generations face a risk of living in a world that is highly polluted and inhabitable.
In this light, industries all over the world are required to adhere to strict environmental regulations aimed at promoting sustainability. The Renault Company is one such company that has embarked on stringent measures to ensure sustainability both in the environment and in the corporate arena.
The company has taken a step in ensuring environmental sustainability through the design of its vehicles; in this effort, it has spearheaded the design of an electric vehicle. The company believes that innovation favors progress; however innovation is only beneficial if majority of people stand to gain.
This line of thinking culminated in the launching of Renault eco vehicles in 2008 (Easier Cars, 2008). The vehicle adheres to strict environmental sustainability criteria from the time of manufacturing in ISO 14001 certified plants which produce less than 140g/km carbon dioxide emissions with 85 per cent of the vehicle’s parts recyclable at the end of its useful period (Steven, 2008).
The company has embedded sustainability in the design of its vehicles to ensure road safety and environmental preservation (Automotive design-Europe, 2009). This sustainable development involves the production of safe vehicles, enlightenment of current and future drivers, providing good working conditions for the employees and environmental preservation.
The company has an environmental policy that aims at reducing the risks caused by industries as well as mitigating the environmental impact caused by its vehicles in every stage of their life cycle. Furthermore, the company has implemented sustainability at innovation and design stage.
The company has taken a life cycle approach in this mitigation effort. The environmental impact of each vehicle that the company produces is accounted for since the time its design is conceived to the time the vehicle is rendered unserviceable.
One perfect example of this recycling approach is evident in its application on the company’s Renault Modus model. This model has utilized 18kg of recycled plastic to make components such as bumpers, dashboards and hidden vehicle parts. Environmental friendliness to ensure sustainability has been extended to countries where the Renault Company operates.
Embedding sustainability through design has led the company to employ over 600 employees who directly deal with safety issues daily. The vehicle’s designs are produced with utmost consideration of safety right from the early stages of design development.
This quest for safety in the company does not end at the design of the vehicles rather the company is engaged in promotion of safety awareness.
For instance, since 2000 the company’s safety for all programs has substantially enlightened children- the future road users on road safety. The program has also reached international audience with its deployment in over twelve countries engaging approximately 6 million youngsters.
On the background of rising fuel costs and the pollution associated with exhaust gases, Renault’s designs are innovative and sustainability minded. The vehicles are economical benefiting from the company’s latest technological innovations which cut fuel consumption.
The engine design is a direct petrol injection which has been downsized to smaller cubic capacity without decrease in performance. However, just optimizing the existing technological solutions on minimizing fuel consumption is enough, a fact that that the Renault company is well aware of. Therefore, the company has taken the gauntlet of sustainable mobility to a new level.
The Renault company innovative designs are geared to zero emission. The electric vehicle is a breakaway technological innovation, which the company is set to market on a large scale (Pearson, 2009, pp3.). The Renault Company enforces sustainability through the development of three major policies namely; environmental policy, human resources policy and road safety policy.
Environmental policy
In the recent years the number of vehicles on our roads has been rising steadily making mobility easier. This increase is impacting on our environment negatively through greenhouse gas emission and noise pollution.
The world has been in the recent past greatly concerned with the protection of the environment by encouraging companies to embrace sustainable manufacturing procedures that have a reduced negative impact on the environment. Renault has not been left out in this noble cause as environmental protection is at the heart of the company’s commitment to sustainability.
Human resource policy
The Renault Company is dedicated in promoting sustainable mobility evidenced by the establishment of the Institute of Sustainable Mobility in September 2009 by Renault Foundation and ParisTech in a bid to promote sustainable mobility in the world.
The academic world and Renault engineers’ joint effort is aimed at encouraging research on innovative mobility systems, particularly electric vehicles (Sean, 2008). Furthermore, the institution is dedicated to training top managers and scientists in an attempt to transportation needs while taking up challenges that are posed by sustainable mobility.
The company has embedded sustainability through design and implementation of innovative mobility systems. The institute is carefully planned with eight school and ten laboratories dedicated to the development of sustainable designs.
Logistical requirements of an electric vehicle that will be used all over the world are foreseen by the Electrical Mobility Systems laboratory. Moreover, the institute has a business model that seeks to guarantee smooth development of electric vehicles.
Safety policy
Road accidents claim a significant number of lives and loss of property. Many young people have been involved in road accidents particularly because they have not received proper road safety training. This is not the only cause of road carnage, some of the blame can be directed to car manufacturers who are not involved these youth education programs.
The Renault Company realizes that road safety is vital ingredient to sustainable development. In this light, the company invests on safety research and development a huge amount of money in the tune of 100 million Euros.
This dedication has earned the company a lot of praise as it is being regarded as the pioneer of road safety. All these efforts are geared towards sustainability through design.
Sustainability opportunity
The company’s large scale marketing approach is driven by the desire to ward off competition from other manufacturing companies who also produce electric cars. The company is set to launch Kangoo Express Z.E and Fluence Z.E this year (Wired News, 2010).
The intended large-scale use of electric vehicles requires a smooth transition from the current mobility system, thus the company has charged the Worldwide Vision with this mandate. Finally, for the large scale project to succeed efficiency and reliability of the electric batteries is compulsory.
In this light, the institute has a Battery Technology department that taken up this challenges. Renault Company has also paid attention to the training of its managers towards sustainable development by launching the Electrical Master’s diploma.
This was done with the engagement of the Renault Foundation and ParisTech to present a high-level course that is open to students from all over the world. The Institute of Sustainable Mobility is also open to the companies and universities from all over the world who wish to join.
The development of the company’s core values presents an opportunity to contribute to sustainable development. The company’s values revolve around respecting its employees and promoting transparency according to the company’s code of conduct.
The company’s management reckons that future success is pegged on the present decisions. This commitment has ensured that the company is mindful of the future generations.
The company has successfully embedded sustainability of in its company by fostering active teamwork. The Renault Company is committed in training its employees on sustainable development. This effort has led to an empowered management that has the company’s values at heart.
The company’s organizational structure is tailored to ensure employee engagement and participation by having short lines of command, networking and cross-departmental initiatives (Renault, 2010). This move to engage its employees has a positive impact on productivity and sustainability.
For a company dedicated to promoting sustainability it is paramount for its management to reckon that charity begins at home thus the key to success in its endeavors is by having a sustainable and reliable workforce.
Benefits
The Renault Company has realized numerous benefits for embedding sustainability in its designs. The company has secured its future by showing concern to the environment. A favorable environment is paramount requirement for any company which has its eyes trained on the future.
All manufacturing companies must check that they do not surpass the allowed greenhouse gases emissions failure to which a hefty fine is imposed on the defaulter. The Renault Company has evaded this loophole by implementation of manufacturing procedures and vehicle designs that environmentally friendly.
Secondly, the company has strengthened its workforce and built a strong team that is transparent and committed to the achievement of sustainability as well as the company’s corporate objectives.
Since 1898 the company’s success has been pegged to teamwork and dedication which is the root of the company’s success. Teamwork has also set a stage for the company’s future success with employees who share in the company’s long term objectives.
Embedding sustainability in the design of the vehicles has led to the acclamation of the Renault Company as a pioneer in the electric vehicle manufacture on a large scale, a fete that has made the company one of the leading automobile manufacturing companies in the world.
The company is involved in various projects that promote social and economic well being in the local communities. For instance, the company’s involved in its Romanian Pitesti site has endowed the local community with social, economic and environmental benefits. In its Pitesti site the company engaged the local players to combat unemployment by founding the Development and Solidarity Foundation in 2000.
The foundation’s objective is developing employment opportunities in the area by creating a business conducive environment.
This endeavor has culminated into the setting up of over 30 companies in Pitesti-Mioveni thus providing bountiful employment opportunities and promoting the region as major reference point in Romania. Furthermore, this project has inspired the establishment of similar.
Developing sustainable development is a win-win achievement for the company in the sense that the company has received praise and accolades from the world all over at the same time laying a foundation for its future success.
References
Automotive design-Europe. (2009) Automotive Design line. Web.
Easier cars. (2008) Renault launches its Renault eco line of vehicles. Web.
Pearson, D. (2009) Renault itching to return to the US. The Wall Street Journal. Pp. A.3-A.3.
Renault. (2011) Renault Group & governance. Web.
Sean, O. (2008) ‘Renault bets on electric’. The Independent (UK). Web.
Steven, S. (2008) ‘Renault to develop electric cars for Israel project’. Reuters. Web.
Taylor, A. (2010) Around the world for Renault Nissan. Web.
Wired News. (2010) Renault’s Fluence Z.E. headed for a better place. Web.