2. Setting up the project team at Steelcase

When a project is launched, a project team is set up to work around a marketing brief. The various departments (such as design, R&D, purchasing, etc.) involved in the process are represented by one or more people dedicated to the project, which is steered by a project manager until the product is launched.

A project is divided into several phases, and representatives from each department are involved earlier or later in the process, depending on their expertise. The eco-design team is involved from the very first phase, helping marketing to define environmental objectives. The team then interacts with the various departments involved on a more or less continuous basis throughout the project, bringing together expertise in both eco-design and materials toxicity.