Introduction: The Intersection of Sustainability and Physical Identity and Access Management (PIAM)
Sustainability is no longer an option but a necessity for modern manufacturers. With increasing environmental regulations, corporate sustainability goals, and a growing demand for green production practices, manufacturers must find ways to reduce waste, lower carbon footprints, and improve energy efficiency.
While many companies focus on energy-efficient machinery, renewable energy sources, and waste reduction, one often-overlooked aspect of sustainability is access control and workforce management. Poorly managed facilities experience excess energy consumption, inefficient use of workspace, and unnecessary resource allocation, all of which hinder sustainability goals.
Physical Identity and Access Management (PIAM) is emerging as a key enabler of sustainable manufacturing by optimizing workforce movement, reducing unnecessary energy consumption, minimizing waste, and ensuring security protocols align with sustainability objectives.
The Role of PIAM in Driving Sustainable Manufacturing
Optimizing Workforce Movement to Reduce Energy Consumption
Manufacturing plants consume vast amounts of energy through lighting, climate control, and machinery operations. When access control is poorly managed, energy waste increases due to unoccupied workspaces being climate-controlled, machinery being left on unnecessarily, and inefficient personnel movement.
A global electronics manufacturer integrated CloudGate’s PIAM system with its smart energy management system. Employee access control was tied to automated lighting and HVAC systems, ensuring that areas were only powered when occupied. This reduced energy consumption by 30 percent, significantly lowering the company’s carbon footprint.
Reducing Physical Waste by Eliminating Plastic Access Cards and Paper Logs
Traditional access control relies heavily on physical ID badges, keycards, and paper-based visitor logs, which contribute to waste and require frequent replacements. PIAM replaces physical credentials with mobile-based digital credentials, biometric authentication, and cloud-based tracking, eliminating unnecessary plastic production and reducing waste.
A chemical processing facility eliminated plastic keycards and manual visitor sign-in sheets by implementing biometric authentication and digital visitor management through PIAM. Over two years, the company saved thousands of dollars in plastic production and significantly reduced paper waste.
Enhancing Supply Chain Transparency for Sustainable Sourcing
Sustainability in manufacturing is not just about in-house practices but also about ensuring ethical sourcing and supply chain compliance. PIAM provides detailed access logs, vendor authentication, and real-time tracking to ensure that supply chain partners adhere to environmental and sustainability commitments.
An automotive manufacturer implemented CloudGate’s PIAM system to track third-party suppliers entering its production facilities. By monitoring vendor access and tracking material movement in real time, the company ensured that only certified sustainable suppliers contributed to its production lines. This helped the company meet ISO 14001 environmental management standards.
Reducing Carbon Footprint with Remote and Hybrid Work Access
Manufacturing facilities require on-site personnel for critical operations, but supporting administrative and technical roles can be optimized for hybrid work models to reduce overall facility energy consumption. PIAM enables secure remote work access, allowing administrative employees to work off-site while ensuring that sensitive operations remain secure.
A semiconductor company adopted PIAM-driven hybrid workforce management, allowing engineers and designers to securely access production data remotely while on-site access was restricted to essential personnel. This reduced commuting-related emissions and optimized workspace usage, supporting the company’s net-zero carbon goals.
Preventing Unauthorized Access to Reduce Resource Waste
Manufacturing plants often suffer from inventory shrinkage, unauthorized tool usage, and resource waste due to lack of access restrictions. Employees or contractors accessing high-energy-consuming machines unnecessarily or using raw materials inefficiently leads to excessive waste.
A textile manufacturing plant implemented CloudGate’s PIAM system to ensure that only authorized personnel could operate specific high-energy machinery. Employees were required to authenticate via biometric verification before using industrial dyeing machines, preventing unauthorized operation and reducing energy waste by 20 percent.
AI-Driven Workforce Optimization to Reduce Overstaffing and Resource Misuse
Factories that misallocate workforce resources experience overstaffing in low-demand areas while critical production stations remain understaffed, leading to inefficiencies. PIAM integrates with AI-powered workforce analytics to optimize shift planning, workspace usage, and resource allocation.
A luxury furniture manufacturer used CloudGate’s AI-driven workforce tracking to monitor employee movement and factory floor utilization. The system identified underutilized workspaces and adjusted workforce deployment dynamically. Over time, this improved space efficiency by 35 percent and reduced unnecessary energy expenditure in unoccupied work areas.
Automating Compliance for Environmental Regulations
Factories must comply with environmental regulations such as ISO 14001, EPA standards, and carbon reporting frameworks. PIAM automates environmental compliance tracking by maintaining detailed access logs, monitoring material handling, and tracking workforce energy consumption.
A pharmaceutical manufacturer integrated CloudGate’s PIAM with its sustainability compliance system, ensuring that access records, material usage logs, and waste disposal tracking were automatically recorded for audits. This allowed the company to pass environmental inspections without penalties and maintain full compliance with global sustainability laws.
The Future of PIAM in Sustainable Manufacturing
As the manufacturing industry accelerates toward green production and carbon neutrality, PIAM will continue evolving to support sustainability efforts. Future developments in PIAM for sustainable manufacturing include:
AI-powered energy usage forecasting, where access control data predicts energy consumption trends and optimizes facility power usage
IoT-connected workforce tracking, where smart sensors adjust lighting and temperature based on real-time occupancy patterns
Blockchain-based sustainable sourcing verification, ensuring only ethically sourced materials enter production lines
Automated waste tracking, where PIAM integrates with waste disposal systems to monitor and reduce industrial waste generation
AI-driven environmental impact monitoring, where workforce movement and machine usage patterns help optimize carbon footprint reduction strategies
A global industrial automation company is currently testing AI-integrated PIAM systems that dynamically adjust energy consumption based on workforce presence. These innovations are expected to reduce industrial carbon footprints by up to 40 percent over the next decade.
Conclusion: Why PIAM is Vital for the Future of Sustainable Manufacturing
Sustainability in manufacturing goes beyond energy-efficient machines and recycling programs. Access control, workforce management, and supply chain transparency all play a crucial role in reducing waste, improving efficiency, and maintaining compliance with environmental regulations, PIAM is vital for the future of sustainable manufacturing.
By implementing CloudGate PIAM, manufacturers can:
Reduce energy consumption by automating lighting, HVAC, and machine operation based on workforce movement
Eliminate plastic waste by replacing keycards and paper-based logs with digital and biometric authentication
Enhance supply chain transparency, ensuring compliance with sustainable sourcing initiatives
Optimize hybrid work access, reducing commuting emissions and unnecessary facility usage
Prevent unauthorized machine operation, reducing material waste and excess energy consumption
Automate compliance tracking, making sustainability audits seamless and error-free
Contacting Soloinsight
Soloinsight’s CloudGate PIAM platform provides a sustainable access control solution that helps manufacturers meet environmental goals, reduce energy waste, and maintain compliance with global sustainability standards.
To learn how CloudGate PIAM can support your company’s sustainability initiatives and drive efficient, environmentally responsible manufacturing, contact Soloinsight today and schedule a consultation with our experts.
