The PG25591 Certificate in Lean Tools for Sustainable Business at NFQ Level 5 develops the capability to identify and remove waste, streamline flow, and embed continuous improvement within Irish operations.
The award combines Lean thinking with the principles of environmental responsibility promoted through the EPA waste hierarchy and SEAI energy-efficiency objectives. It encourages learners to connect operational performance with sustainable outcomes — less waste, fewer steps, lower CO₂, and a stronger culture of respect for people and process.
The assessment structure includes a formal Continuous Assessment (20 %) component and a Skills Demonstration (80 %) component. The continuous assessment measures knowledge and planning competence. The skills element validates practical application in a working environment, such as a logistics or distribution office.
The continuous assessment focused on establishing a baseline understanding, ethical data collection, and mapping of a small administrative workflow inside a logistics operation. The learner examined how Lean can support sustainability goals while ensuring that personal data and operational records remain confidential under GDPR standards.
Scope and context
The assessment explored the internal order-processing stream, from customer query to shipment confirmation. The study excluded commercial details or any named suppliers. Only process timings, resource usage, and error frequencies were logged.
Alignment to learning outcomes
Outcomes targeted included:
recognising Lean principles within a service setting;
documenting waste sources in non-manufacturing flow;
understanding measurement and ethical reporting;
proposing initial countermeasures aligned with continuous improvement.
Method and data privacy
Data were gathered through observation over five working days, time-stamped with staff consent. All identifiers were removed. Notes were stored on a secure network drive; access remained limited to the project tutor and assessor.
Baseline KPIs (sample values)
| KPI | Baseline | Unit | Source | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average order-entry lead time | 18 | min | sample of 50 orders | includes verification step |
| Data-entry errors | 2.8 | % | internal check | manual rekey from paper forms |
| Printing consumption | 120 | pages/day | meter log | orders printed twice for sign-off |
| Electricity use | 28 | kWh/day | sub-meter reading | monitors, printer, lights left on after hours |
These figures provided the baseline for later PDCA cycles. The ethics note confirmed anonymisation, safe storage, and proportional data use.
Risk and mitigation
Risks such as incomplete sampling, bias during observation, or over-interpretation were recognised. The learner used resampling and cross-checks to keep accuracy reasonable.
Mini-checklist (Continuous Assessment summary)
Scope defined and approved ✓
Data sources logged ✓
Anonymisation completed ✓
Method justified ✓
Evidence appendix prepared ✓
Reflection captured ✓
PDCA next step outlined ✓
The completed report demonstrated the learner’s ability to plan a Lean review ethically and factually, setting the stage for the applied Skills Demonstration.
Lean thinking only becomes meaningful when it changes what people actually do. The Skills Demonstration documented a practical PDCA cycle inside the same logistics office — a process with too many paper loops, several idle handovers, and growing pressure for faster confirmation times.
The goal was clear enough: cut administrative lead time by 30 % while reducing paper and electricity waste. Data from the Continuous Assessment served as the “Plan” foundation. A SIPOC snapshot summarised the flow.
| SIPOC Summary – Order Processing Stream |
| Supplier → Input → Process → Output → Customer |
| Internal sales desk → customer email → data entry → pick-note approval → dispatch team |
| Supporting info: inventory check, label printing, shipment confirmation → sent to customer |
Bottlenecks were visible at the verification and approval steps. Papers were stacked near the laser printer, some forms dog-eared or misplaced by end of shift. At times, two operators paused waiting for a signature that could have been digital.
Lean, as practised here, centres on five core principles: value, value stream, flow, pull, and perfection. Value was defined through the eyes of the customer — on-time, accurate order confirmation. Mapping the value stream showed how information travelled and where it stalled. Flow improvement meant removing unnecessary sign-offs and reducing batch sizes in the queue. Pull was introduced by linking email requests to real-time inventory visibility, so work only started when stock was available. Perfection was pursued through weekly 5S audits and Kaizen suggestions.
The seven classic wastes were translated into office terms: waiting (time for signatures), over-processing (duplicate data entry), defects (incorrect customer codes), motion (staff walking to printer area), inventory (pending paper orders), transport (carrying files between desks), and unused talent (staff ideas ignored). An eighth waste — energy loss — was added to reflect the sustainability focus. The team linked these to the EPA waste hierarchy and ISO 14001 improvement cycle.
Mini table – Waste Matrix
| Waste Type | Root Cause | Countermeasure | Owner | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waiting | Sequential sign-off process | Introduce digital approval flow | Process lead | Week 3 |
| Over-processing | Duplicate entry in two systems | Merge forms into one template | IT support | Week 4 |
| Energy waste | Monitors & lights left on overnight | Auto-shutdown timer | Facilities rep | Week 2 |
| Motion | Printer far from desk cluster | Relocate device centrally | Team leader | Week 1 |
The matrix helped the team prioritise quick wins that required little capital but had visible impact.
A simple Value Stream Map (VSM) was drawn using sticky notes and markers on the office whiteboard. Process boxes showed each step from email receipt to dispatch note. Triangles marked WIP queues. Data boxes recorded cycle times and error percentages. It looked a bit messy at first, but everyone could see where work sat idle.
Baseline figures were averaged across five days: average cycle time 18 minutes, changeover time between tasks 1.5 minutes, error rate 2.8 %, printing 120 pages per day. Hot spots were the manual verification and batch printing steps.
A KPI comparison table summed up the situation.
| KPI | Baseline | Target | Achieved (Post-Pilot) | Environmental Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Order lead time (min) | 18 | 12 | 11 | −39 % time → less energy from monitors |
| Errors (%) | 2.8 | 2.0 | 1.9 | Fewer reprints → paper saved |
| Printing (pages/day) | 120 | 60 | 55 | −54 % paper consumption |
| Electricity (kWh/day) | 28 | 25 | 24 | −14 % CO₂ from lighting/equipment |
So it turned out that the bottleneck was not only about people waiting but also energy ticking away while screens stayed on. When the digital approval flow went live, the queues shrank, and staff could end the day without overtime.
To be fair, the hardest part was learning to trust the data. Early readings sometimes looked too perfect to be real, which usually meant a missed entry or a skipped sample. The learner adopted a three-week sampling window, logging order timestamps, reprint counts, and electricity sub-meter readings each evening. Each metric was stored under anonymous codes to meet GDPR obligations.
Data supported every decision:
Baseline visibility – average, variance, and outlier recognition.
SPC (Statistical Process Control) – control charts for order-entry times, highlighting special causes like network delays.
Pareto analysis – identifying that 80 % of order errors stemmed from just two fields: wrong customer codes and outdated delivery addresses.
Energy metrics – daily kWh per 100 orders; simple enough but made efficiency tangible.
The data tree linked strategic aims to operational levers:
Carbon reduction target ↓
Energy per order ↓
Equipment idle hours ↓
IT auto-shutdown compliance ↑
A dashboard built in Excel gave quick trend lines. When the “idle hour” metric dropped from 5.2 h/day to 3.1 h/day, the sustainability and efficiency stories finally aligned. Visibility motivated the team more than slogans ever could.
In practice, analysis tools gave shape to the chaos. The 5 Whys exercise dug beneath surface complaints.
Problem: frequent delays in order approvals.
Why? — Supervisor not always at desk.
Why? — Approvals queued in paper folder.
Why? — The System lacked a digital sign-off.
Why? — IT never prioritised it.
Why? — No quantified cost of delay had been shown.
Once the waste was estimated at roughly €320 per month in overtime and reprints, the fix jumped up the priority list.
A Fishbone diagram divided causes under People, Process, Equipment, Materials, Environment, and Methods. Under “Environment”, for instance, the hum of older printers and constant lighting reminded staff how process inefficiency also burned kilowatts. “People” factors showed training gaps — new temps didn’t know the 5S marks on shelving or the digital filing path.
A short FMEA-style risk scan ranked issues by likelihood, severity, and detectability. Paper misplacement scored high, so a digital document tracker was trialled first.
The learner also facilitated a Kaizen half-day: four operators, one whiteboard, lots of sticky notes. They timed tasks with mobile-phone stopwatches. Small jokes lightened the session, but the findings were solid — the batch-printing step was the main choke.
By the end of analysis week, people understood how Lean tools were not just for factories. They could see the overlap between wasted effort and wasted energy.
The “Do” phase matured here. Several Lean methods were layered carefully, each with a sustainability twist.
5S Implementation – The desks were sorted and labelled with minimal paper stock. Tape lines marked printer zones. A quick 5S audit sheet (score out of 100) showed 62 → 88 points over three weeks. The team laughed about how they could now find staplers instantly.
Standard work – A single digital template replaced three inconsistent paper forms. Step times dropped, and training new staff became easier.
Pull system / Kanban – A shared online board replaced verbal handovers. Each order moved through digital columns (“New”, “Processing”, “Approved”, “Dispatched”). No piles, no confusion.
TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) – Printer and scanner cleaned weekly; dust buildup had previously caused jams and wasted reprints. Downtime fell from 45 min/week to 10 min/week, while toner life stretched by 12 %.
Visual management – A small wall board tracked daily metrics: lead time, error %, pages printed, kWh used. Coloured magnets marked trend direction. People started competing for the green magnets.
Error-proofing (Poka-Yoke) – Mandatory dropdown lists in the order form eliminated most address typos.
| Improvement Snapshot | Before | After | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. order cycle time | 18 min | 11 min | −39 % |
| Error rate | 2.8 % | 1.9 % | −32 % |
| Paper use | 120 pg/day | 55 pg/day | −54 % |
| Electricity | 28 kWh/day | 24 kWh/day | −14 % |
| OEE (office uptime proxy) | 82 % | 88 % | +6 pp |
Each metric carried a small sustainability note — less paper, less toner, fewer late-evening lights. The changes were humble but measurable. Staff ownership mattered more than management slogans.
Once several countermeasures proved viable, the learner used a PICK chart to screen ideas (Possible, Implement, Challenge, Kill) based on impact versus effort. High-impact/low-effort actions — digital sign-off, power timers, printer relocation — moved to immediate implementation. More ambitious ones, like full e-invoicing integration, were logged for later funding.
A small pilot was launched for two weeks. The control plan set who checks what and when:
| Control Item | Frequency | Responsible | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order lead-time log | Daily | Team lead | Dashboard review |
| Energy (kWh) meter | Weekly | Facilities rep | Photo log |
| 5S audit | Fortnightly | Rotating staff | 5S sheet |
| Error % review | Monthly | Admin supervisor | System report |
Training and engagement
Short peer-training sessions, 15 minutes before shift, kept new staff aligned. A laminated “Do’s and Don’ts” sheet hung beside the kanban board. The learner encouraged informal feedback — if something didn’t work, fix it on the spot rather than waiting for a meeting.
Check and Act
At the “Check” stage, data showed the new flow holding steady: lead time 11 min average, no backlog, and energy per order −12 %. Staff used that as proof to standardise the process.
“Act” meant embedding the new way into daily routines. The Gemba walk moved from a manager-only ritual to a five-minute shared huddle. Metrics stayed visible; successes were noted on Friday wrap-ups.
Sustainability benefits became real: lower electricity use (roughly −4 kWh/day), reduced reprint paper (−65 pages/day), and calmer workflow — which, indirectly, cut stress and minor absenteeism.
At the close of the Skills Demonstration, the learner reflected that Lean is not a separate environmental toolset but a mindset that naturally conserves. Less waste simply equals less cost and less carbon.
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