The application of material flow cost accounting in waste reduction

Abstract

Due to the rise in environmental awareness, corporate companies have shifted their focus from an obsession with short-term profits to contemplating long-term strategies to achieve sustainable management. Effective use of resources is the primary indicator of this achievement. Fulfillment of corporate social responsibility and thinking beyond the regulatory aspects of corporate sustainable management are goals that have continually attracted attention worldwide. Material flow cost accounting based on ISO 14051, which was announced by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), is a tool that can be used to achieve a balance between the environment and economy. We focused on using ISO 14051-based material flow cost accounting as an analytical evaluation tool from the perspectives of finance and accounting personnel. We conducted a case study on a flat-panel parts supplier to determine whether the efficient use of recycled glass could reduce company costs. The primary finding is that the film layer on recycled washed glass tends to be stripped during the production process, causing increased reprocessing costs and thus rendering the cost of renewable cleaning higher than that of reworking. This study revealed that the ISO 14051-based material flow cost accounting analysis constitutes a valuable management tool, thereby facilitating the promotion of sustainable development.