State of the art of LCA in business
We conducted research among 274 respondents in 28 countries to find out what the struggles and the drivers are that LCA Champions find in their organization.
Explore expert insights on sustainability and life cycle thinking. Our articles offer practical advice, best practices, and the latest trends to support informed decisions.
How a life cycle-driven business model can accelerate sustainable value creation
The business world needs a more holistic approach to value creation. In a business model based on life cycle thinking, everyone involved can derive value from their participation in creating a value proposition. This might just be the way forward.
Why “It depends…” is often the right answer
If you want a decisive answer to a straightforward sustainability question, getting a vague answer from your company's sustainability professionals is frustrating. This article explains why they do that and how you can help get the answer you need.
How to unite the two viewpoints on toxicity?
Toxicity is often viewed from a risk management perspective (is it safe?) or from a best estimate perspective (which is safer?). Although experts mostly use only one of these methods, combining the two can lead to better sustainability decisions.
LCA has some storytelling to do
LCA is science-driven and robust, but showing its value is not always easy. A big step LCA practitioners can take is learning to use LCA to tell the stories of your products, your people, and your company. How can you use LCA to meet needs?
Creating shared value requires shared valuation
We measure business models through a conventional cost-benefit analysis, and we do that even in what are considered sustainable business models. Is that the way to go, and does it reflect all values that are created?
Social sustainability – integrating measurements of the intangible
Your environmental sustainability programme is all set up and working. Where to go next? This article discusses the benefits and challenges of social sustainability monitoring, and gives pointers for how to start creating product social footprints.
Weighting: applying a value judgment to LCA results
This series of articles discusses the steps in an LCA, each explained by an expert consultant. Today, Ellen Meijer talks about weighting - or applying a value judgement to impact categories - and the controversies associated with this.
How understanding your products’ social footprints helps your business create value
Product social footprinting, the assessment of social metrics and impacts at a product level, gives businesses the tools to drive business value: reduce business risks, steer product development, and improve communications and reputation.
Business decision making | Materiality assessment vs. hotspot analysis
Sustainability assessments result in mountains of data. Before being able to implement a new business model or start improving your products, you need to sort through it all and set priorities. This article discusses two methods for doing so.