Lean Sustainability Audit

Abstract

This chapter has naturally evolved as a result of the previous research the author has undertaken and as a direct consequence of feedback from clients that it was necessary to be able to decipher the journey an organisation encounters in its quest to become a truly Lean organisation. This formed a vital output of my cumulative research, since I considered it imperative to be able to clearly identify which stage of the Lean journey that an organisation had accomplished; inherent in this is the need to be able to subsequently advise the policy makers of the organisation in question regarding their next course of action. Undeniably, there does exist extensive body of knowledge which attempts to undertake this role, namely measuring the “leanness” state of an organisation; however, there is a definite void of a comprehensive Lean audit which proceeds to undertake several associated roles, namely:

• Determine which stage the organisation has reached on its Lean journey in comparison with achieving a state whereby the organisation has adopted Lean as a philosophy;

• Provide an organisation with detailed and constructive feedback regarding areas which need improving;

• Specifically recommend the course of action needed for it to achieve the next stage of its Lean journey;

• The scrupulous audit which examines all the inputs which need to be considered by an organisation in its quest to achieve Lean status; and

• The indices were determined after considerable research which also considered the potential barriers to Lean and consequently the appropriate prominence paid to culture and change management systems adopted by organisations.

The chapter ultimately highlights the extensive Lean audit which evolved as a direct result of experience of consulting within disparate manufacturing organisations and subsequently piloted within several organisations achieving the desired results. In accepting the proposition that Lean must always be deemed as a journey, it is essential to be able to classify the expedition an organisation is required to accept in its pursuit to be regarded as an authentic Lean organisation.