LEAN AND CLEAN VALUE STREAM MAPPING
Value stream mapping is a Lean process-mapping method for understanding the sequence of activities used to produce a product. During the Green Suppliers Network technical review, you will use value stream mapping to identify sources of non-value added time or materials; identify opportunities to increase efficiency; and develop a plan for implementing improvements. Value stream maps serve as a critical tool during the review process and can reveal substantial opportunities to reduce costs, improve production flow, save time, reduce inventory, and improve environmental performance. Conventional value stream mapping can overlook environmental wastes, such as: • • • Energy, water, or raw materials used in
This exercise can help you target the largest sources of waste for prioritizing improvement efforts. Exhibit 2 presents a value stream map with a materials line that focuses on water usage. You can also create separate maps that address other inputs such as hazardous materials or energy use.

Visualize an Improved “Future State” Future state maps are created to show what a product or process line would look like after improvements are made. Future state maps should be drafted by the Green Suppliers Network review team following the completion of a current state map. Green Suppliers Network practitioners play a vital role in developing future state maps, as they can help suppliers identify areas where environmental improvements can be made. More often than not, future state maps look closer at process level improvements. Facilities cannot typically make changes to the order in which processes take place in a product line, but they can implement changes to specific steps of a process. Opportunities for process improvement can be shown on a value stream map with a starburst as illustrated in Exhibit 3. Starbursts can identify processes that need to be examined closer, such as in Exhibit 4. Future state maps should represent the product or process line in a perfect state