S.A.B.M (Sofie) Spijkers

Sofie combined her background in Organizational Sciences (Tilburg University) and Sustainability Science and Policy (Maastricht University), along with her experience in the consulting world, in her role as a lecturer in the Industrial Engineering and Management program. She teaches courses such as Change Management and Sustainable Business Operations, and supervises students in research within the manufacturing industry. During her years as a lecturer, her knowledge of Operational Excellence grew, leading her to start a research project in 2022 on the integration of Operational Excellence with Sustainable Business Operations.

About the research:

“Let’s use the lessons of Operational Excellence, especially the concept of being ‘in control’ of processes, to help manufacturing companies structurally transition toward sustainability.” This is the basis of the research. The idea is that all components of a technical company (Process, Control, Organization, and Information) can be organized in such a way that the company not only improves traditional performance indicators like Productivity, Delivery Reliability, and Quality but also sustainability indicators (such as CO2 emissions, Material Usage, Circularity, and Working Conditions).

The theoretical framework is now in place and is being validated with medium-sized manufacturing companies in the Brainport Region. This will be carried out over the next few years. Ultimately, the goal is to offer a handbook and targeted training programs for both professionals (in companies) and students to help initiate the transition to a more sustainable future.

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