How can you use LCA to align your business with global targets?

1 What is LCA?

LCA is a systematic method that evaluates the environmental aspects and potential impacts of a product or service from the extraction of raw materials, through production, use, and disposal, to the final disposal of waste. LCA can help you identify the hotspots of environmental impact, compare different alternatives, and optimize your design and processes. LCA can also help you comply with environmental regulations, standards, and certifications, and provide credible information for your customers, investors, and partners.

2 How can LCA align your business with global targets?

Global targets, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Agreement, and the Circular Economy Action Plan, set ambitious objectives for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, resource consumption, and waste generation, as well as improving social and economic well-being. LCA can help you align your business with these targets by providing a holistic and transparent framework to measure and report your progress, as well as identify opportunities for improvement. For example, LCA can help you assess how your products and services contribute to the SDGs, how they perform against the carbon budgets and scenarios of the Paris Agreement, and how they enable the transition to a circular economy.

3 How to conduct an LCA?

To conduct an LCA, you need to follow four main steps: define the goal and scope, collect and analyze the data, interpret the results, and communicate the findings. The goal and scope define the purpose, boundaries, functional unit, and impact categories of your study. The data collection and analysis involve gathering and processing the information on the inputs and outputs of your product or service system, and applying the appropriate impact assessment methods. The interpretation involves checking the quality, consistency, and validity of your results, and drawing conclusions and recommendations. The communication involves presenting and disclosing your results in a clear, accurate, and relevant way, using formats such as reports, labels, or declarations.

4 How to use LCA results for stakeholder engagement?

LCA results can help you engage with your stakeholders by providing evidence-based and transparent information on your environmental performance and impact. You can use LCA results to inform your internal decision-making, such as product development, process improvement, or strategy formulation. You can also use LCA results to communicate with your external stakeholders, such as customers, suppliers, regulators, or investors. For example, you can use LCA results to demonstrate your compliance with environmental standards or certifications, to showcase your sustainability achievements or initiatives, or to respond to stakeholder requests or expectations.

5 What are the benefits and challenges of LCA?

LCA can bring many benefits to your business, such as improving your environmental performance and reputation, enhancing your competitiveness and innovation, reducing your costs and risks, and increasing your stakeholder satisfaction and loyalty. However, LCA also poses some challenges, such as requiring time, resources, and expertise, dealing with data availability and quality issues, managing uncertainty and variability, and ensuring comparability and consistency. Therefore, you need to carefully plan and conduct your LCA, and use appropriate tools and methods, to ensure its reliability and credibility.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?