Integrating sustainability facets into the early stages of new product development - a critical review

The integration of sustainability into the early stages of New Product Development (NPD) is critical for fostering innovation and ensuring long-term competitive advantage. This critical review explores the incorporation of sustainability facets within NPD processes. Despite the growing emphasis on sustainable practices, significant gaps persist in effectively embedding holistic sustainability approaches during initial NPD phases. This review critically analyzes existing literature, identifying the extent to which Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and other holistic methodologies are utilized for sustainable NPD. The review reveals that while numerous tools and frameworks exist to enhance sustainability in NPD, their application is often fragmented and lacks a comprehensive approach. Key barriers include the complexity of sustainability criteria, limited operational tools, data deficiencies, and high costs associated with sustainable practices. Furthermore, the current research predominantly addresses environmental and economic dimensions, with insufficient focus on social, cultural, political, and systemic aspects. The findings underscore the necessity for a multidimensional framework that integrates all facets of sustainability, supported by robust MCDA methods to manage trade-offs effectively. Additionally, the review highlights the importance of stakeholder involvement and the need for industry-specific adaptations of sustainability tools. Future research should aim to develop practical, validated tools that accommodate diverse sustainability dimensions and are adaptable across different sectors.