About
Sumaira
Kayani
Postgraduate Researcher
University of Galway
Sumaira is a postgraduate researcher at I-Form, based at the University of Galway, specialising in sustainability innovation within advanced manufacturing. She holds a Master’s degree in Procurement and Supply Chain Management from Griffith College Limerick (2023), following an MBA in Supply Chain Management. Her primary research interests include the circular economy, green supply chain management and sustainability in advanced manufacturing.
Technical Summary
This research project aims to develop a sustainability innovation framework to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in adopting sustainable practices through advanced manufacturing. It also seeks to assess the impact of this framework on sustainability maturity and eco-innovation adoption within SMEs. Understanding the barriers and enablers to sustainability is essential for SMEs to effectively implement strategies focused on resource efficiency, waste reduction, and emissions control—while maintaining their competitiveness.
Industry engagement is recognised as a critical component in validating and refining sustainability frameworks for SMEs. However, challenges remain in ensuring the practical feasibility and scalability of these approaches. This research investigates the integration of sustainability interventions, eco-innovation methodologies, and advanced manufacturing techniques to enhance the overall sustainability performance of SMEs.
This project explores sustainable manufacturing solutions tailored to the needs of SMEs, demonstrating how a structured and systematic framework can facilitate their transition toward more resource-efficient and environmentally responsible manufacturing processes.