Challenging Conventions to Drive Sustainable Results
Case Study Summary
Employees across Birla Carbon are instrumental in driving innovation by contributing ideas, developing solutions, and implementing measurable improvements that align with strategic business priorities. A project facilitated by Birla Carbon Korea’s (Yeosu) team optimized shipping containers to reduce freight costs and lessen environmental impact, reinforcing our commitment to sustainability.
The idea was initially conceptualized by the Southeast Asia Sales team, leveraging the expertise of colleagues across functions to bring this idea to life. The solution was deployed in early 2025, resulting in freight cost savings, an increase in the load capacity of each container, and an 11% reduction in CO2 equivalent (CO2eq) for shipping-related emissions.
Reflecting on the project’s accomplishments, Byoungyoon Kim, Supply Chain Manager at the Yeosu Plant, highlighted the role of teamwork and collaboration, stating, “This initiative demonstrates how rethinking traditional methods and embracing cross-functional collaboration can lead to tangible improvements in cost efficiency and sustainability. It’s a great example of how openness to new ideas and mutual respect across teams can drive impactful results.”
The project results illustrate the power of employee-driven innovation and teamwork in advancing sustainability goals.
Full Case Study
Challenging Conventions to Drive Sustainable Results
The Goal
In 2019, Birla Carbon introduced Share the Idea, a program designed to ensure the organization’s continued success by fostering a culture of innovation and empowering employees to transform their ways of thinking and operating. Employees across the organization play a pivotal role in driving innovation by sharing ideas, experimenting with solutions, and implementing measurable improvements that support strategic business objectives.
Building on this commitment to innovation, our teams continually seek out new ideas where meaningful change can produce tangible results for the business. Our Birla Carbon Korea (Yeosu) team effectively illustrated how incremental adjustments can substantially contribute to broader organizational objectives.
The Opportunity
Freight costs significantly impact our operational margins. Our Birla Carbon Korea team identified an opportunity to maximize the quantity of product shipped in each container, reducing ocean freight expenses, lowering our environmental impact, and enhancing our market competitiveness.
The Approach
The employee generated idea was submitted to the idea capture platform where it was subsequently reviewed by senior leadership to ensure strategic alignment. Following a successful initial evaluation, the idea advanced to the project stage where a dedicated team was assembled to drive the idea to completion.
When describing the collaborative nature of the project, Ramakrishnan Krishnamoorthy, Manager of Sales, Coating, and Inks for Thailand, stated “We discussed with Supply chain, Technical Service, Quality, and the Sales team about the benefits of implementing this idea.” Collaboration at the site level and across functions enabled the project team to consider the challenge from multiple perspectives, ensuring the solution met site requirements while strengthening our competitiveness.
The project rollout was organized into 4 distinct phases, providing a roadmap from idea to project launch:
- Project Initiation: Business Case completed by project team and success criteria outlined
- Develop, Demonstrate, & Verify: Proof-of-concept confirms viability
- Implement, Monitor, & Control: Execute tasks outlined in previous steps, monitor for expected results, and adjust as needed
- Complete & Close: Project activity concluded, deliverables provided, and KPIs tracked
The Results
After successfully navigating the project phases, the team achieved measurable outcomes that demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach and the importance of collaboration in driving meaningful change. The solution was deployed in early 2025 and generated significant business results within the span of a few months.
- 9% increase in load capacity of each container—equating to an additional 1.6 Mt per 40-foot container
- 11% reduction in CO2 equivalent (CO2eq) for shipping-related emissions during the last quarter of FY25 compared to the same period in FY24
- Freight cost savings
Reflecting on the project’s accomplishments, Byoungyoon Kim, Supply Chain Manager at the Yeosu Plant, highlighted the role of teamwork and collaboration, stating, “This initiative demonstrates how rethinking traditional methods and embracing cross-functional collaboration can lead to tangible improvements in cost efficiency and sustainability. It’s a great example of how openness to new ideas and mutual respect across teams can drive impactful results.”
The Impact
The project deliverables illustrate the value of a structured and repeatable approach to innovation and the importance of strong collaboration across the business.
Jayant Gehlot, Sales Head Southeast Asia, concluded that “The sheer thinking that a ‘given’ is not necessarily the best solution and a keen desire to ‘search for alternates and make the change’ has played an important role in conceptualization to execution of this idea. The successful implementation also speaks volumes about the Southeast Asia team’s ability to work together and bring results to the table without getting concerned about who holds the torch of credit. Sales conceptualized and proposed the idea and the Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and Warehouse teams wholeheartedly supported the initiative.”
The results underscore the potential for operational improvements when organizations are willing to challenge conventions and work towards shared goals.
