The UN has a program on Cleaner Production that supports 25+ national CP technical assistance centers around the world. They have learned a lot over 15 years doing so and have LOTS of case studies how to dramatically improve production efficiency and reduce waste.
They have now put on line a guidance manual and training kit on how to create and run a Cleaner Production / Pollution Prevention technical assistance center for industry. It's quite interesting and obviously is a major *benchmark* for management of such programs as it reflects input from technical assistance providers around the world.
http://www.uneptie.org/pc/cp/library/training/howtoCPC/start.htm
Personally I think the UN approach is way too mechanical and focused on facility assessments – it greatly lacks social marketing strategies - , but they have always put engineers in charge of their programs so that's what they like to do.
Burton Hamner
Director, Cleaner Production International
Producer, http://www.CleanerProduction.Com
5534 30th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98105
wbhamner@cleanerproduction.com
(206) 526-5308
mobile (206) 491-0945
fax (215) 565-4558 (yes, different area code)