Multi Technology
Operationalizing Sustainability with Coloplast
in brief
Looking Ahead
in brief
IPU: R&D’s Strongest Ally
Client
Coloplast, a world leader in intimate healthcare, has set ambitious corporate sustainability goals. However, their R&D teams faced a practical challenge: how to measure the environmental performance of a concept during the early development phases. They needed a way to navigate design choices and ensure that new products wouldn’t just be functional, but also aligned with the company’s environmental targets. IPU stepped in to help bridge the gap between high-level strategy and day-to-day engineering.
IPU’s Approach: Partnership in Practice
IPU functioned as an integrated part of the Coloplast development team. Rather than delivering a static report, we focused on "enablement". Building the tools and methods that allow Coloplast to drive the process independently. 1. Quantitative Tooling: For projects in later stages, we developed a sophisticated calculation tool. This allowed the team to input specifications and receive immediate feedback on eight key parameters, including recyclability, waste, and CO2 impact. 2. Qualitative Navigation: For early-phase projects where materials and shapes aren't yet defined, we implemented a qualitative methodology. This enabled engineers to evaluate 40+ concepts quickly, narrowing them down to the 10 with the highest environmental potential before investing significant R&D resources.
Delivering Results, Building Confidence
The collaboration resulted in a customized "sustainability engine" tailored specifically to Coloplast’s product DNA. By testing the tools iteratively, over 20 times within actual project sprints, we ensured the method was agile and user-friendly. The outcome was twofold: 1. Informed Decision-Making: Designers can now see if a concept compromises sustainability goals early enough to pivot without massive costs. 2. Internal Ownership: By working side-by-side with Coloplast’s "graduates" and specialists, we ensured the tools were owned by the organization from day one, rather than being "shelfware" left behind by consultants.
A Model for Agile Collaboration
Unlike standard software packages that can be expensive and rigid, the IPU-Coloplast partnership focused on building a "living prototype." This agile approach allowed for rapid iterations. Build, test, learn, and change. Being physically present at Coloplast’s site enabled us to manage stakeholders across Marketing, R&D, and Strategy, ensuring everyone was aligned on the new way of working.
Looking Ahead
Looking Ahead
The tools developed now serve as a functional requirement specification for Coloplast’s future data infrastructure. As the organization looks toward more integrated data management systems, they do so with a proven methodology already in place. The foundation has been laid to move from manual data management to a fully integrated, sustainable R&D ecosystem.
Why IPU?
Coloplast chose IPU because we combine deep environmental expertise with a fundamental understanding of product development. We don't just provide calculations; we live and breathe the R&D engineering process, which ensure that sustainability becomes a natural part of the design logic, making us R&D’s strongest ally in the transition to a circular economy.