Effect of Green Product Design on the Sustainability of Solid Waste Social Enterprises in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Abstract

Purpose: This study examines the relationship between green product design and the sustainability of solid waste social enterprises (SWSEs) in Nairobi City County, Kenya.

The Problem: Product innovation is often considered as the best strategic approach to to better waste management. Even so, SWSEs in Nairobi report mixed outcomes, and few studies have separated the contribution of green product design from that of other forms of product innovation when explaining economic, environmental, social and operational sustainability.

Method: A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted, with Resource-Based Theory as the guiding framework. Structured questionnaires were sent to 120 founders, managers, supervisors and technical staff in 30 SWSEs across Nairobi City County, and 108 were returned in usable form (a 90% response rate). Responses were analysed with frequencies, percentages, means and Pearson product-moment correlation.

Results: Respondents reported green product design mainly through minimising raw-material use (M = 4.69), followed by investment in eco-friendly research and development (M = 4.20), integration of environmental principles (M = 3.98) and environmental impact assessment (M = 3.75). On sustainability, social performance scored highest (M = 4.68), then environmental (M = 4.01) and operational efficiency (M = 3.33), while economic performance scored lowest (M = 2.67). Green product design correlated with sustainability more strongly (r = 0.903, p < .001) than eco-friendly packaging (r = 0.194, p = .044) or waste valorisation (r = 0.121, p = .211).

Recommendation: National and county governments should support environmentally responsible product design in SWSEs through innovation grants, suitable tax incentives and technical assistance.