Innovative approaches to holistic cleaner production audit in the automotive manufacturing industry

• Challenges in traditional cleaner production audit were analyzed. • An innovative industry-wide holistic cleaner production audit methodology was proposed. • The industry-wide holistic cleaner production audit methodology was proved to be effective. In the last thirty years, the implementation of Cleaner Production Audit (CPA) has significantly contributed to China’s economic transformation and industrial upgrading. However, traditional CPA practices have encountered challenges such as complex audit procedures, prolonged cycle cycles, limited efficiency of audit, and insufficient resolution of industry-specific issues. This paper proposes an innovative industry-wide holistic CPA methodology, detailing its conceptual framework and operational procedures. The industry-wide holistic CPA methodology was developed and practically implemented in 17 automotive manufacturing enterprises in Shunyi District, Beijing, including four complete vehicle manufacturers, one modification manufacturer, and twelve parts/accessories suppliers. The implementation has yielded 9 cleaner production solutions, demonstrating significant achievements in energy conservation, water saving, and pollution reduction. Practical evidence indicates that the industry-wide holistic CPA represents an effective auditing paradigm with substantial potential for broader application and promotion. Figure 2. Comparison of simplified and original cleaner production audit procedures In this paper, an innovative sector-wide holistic CPA methodology was proposed, the conventional "7-phase" audit framework was simplified to four phases. Figure 2 illustrates the comparative workflow before and after simplification.