Catálogo de publicaciones - libros

Car manufacturer’s innovation teams are mainly focusing on decreasing automotive consumption and may lead to risks of transfers of environmental impacts. So, engineers in innovation should be able to evaluate their innovations in a life cycle and multi-criteria perspective. In this paper, Groupe PSA’s approach for integrating the environmental dimension during the innovation phase is presented. An eco-design framework of reference has been developed in a collaborative manner by the environment team together with innovation leaders. It tackles both the issues of how to deploy environmental requirements in the innovation process, and how to generate an organizational learning. This methodology is explained through the example of the Stop and Start technology. The validation in the quality procedure is essential to make the approach sustainable.

Due to government policies and regulations as well as customer and societal demands, organizations around the world are looking for ways to manage their economic, environmental and social sustainability. One of the most frequently used standards for organizations seeking to manage their environmental responsibilities is ISO 14001. This framework, however, is generic because it can be used by any organization irrespective of sector, activity or core values. Therefore, implementation of generic guidelines might result in the use of alternative tools that respond better to specific organizational needs and that provide outcomes that can be useful for decision-making. Through case study methodology, this paper shows how Volvo Group, a world-leading producer of transport solutions, developed an internal environmental evaluation tool called Environmental Screening (EnvS) to improve the environmental performance of its solutions.

This paper aims to explore the topic of monetisation of environmental and social aspects. The content is issued from a discussion panel held in Luxembourg during the LCM2017 conference. It first explores historical and methodological aspects. The recommendations are made for companies who intend to monetise their impacts. Three industrial companies presented their contribution on their day to day use of monetisation. The key conclusions are twofold. In one hand, many challenges remain. The implementation is still not always feasible for all issues and an iterative approach is highly recommended. New methods on social LCA show a growing interest on this topic from various parties. ISO standards work is progressing and will support companies and government in their use of monetisation. From the company point of view, monetisation is a bridge between environmental and social assessment, and economic evaluation, while it provides a common unified unit (money). By using a common unit for financial and non-financial aspects, monetization allows the direct comparison of different aspects and therewith a more informed materiality assessment. By looking at impacts, a new perspective on current and future business risks and opportunities is provided. A better understanding of interdependencies enables more informed decision making. The monetary language is a door opener to access new stakeholder groups such as finance and accounting to raise awareness for sustainability.

This paper illustrates the use of life cycle assessment (LCA) methods to link human wellbeing to resource consumption. Based on a previously developed framework of the material requirements for human well-being, we use LCA and Input-Output (I/O) analysis, as appropriate, to estimate the life-cycle energy needed to meet the gap in living standards in two emerging economies, India and Brazil. We illustrate the relative contribution of different living standards components to energy requirements, as well as the uncertainty and trade-offs between upfront and long-term operating energy costs, and how these factors differ in the two countries. This analysis provides insights on how LCA analysis can be used to inform energy planning and its links to development goals.

What is absolute sustainability? This question has been the centre of discussion for many years now. During this session, several stakeholders tried to bring their own answer to the question, discussing issues like the current Science-Based Targets approach, SDGs, resource criticality and the development of targets based on the earth’s regenerative capacity. And while different topics were addressed and the need to develop more robust approaches was apparent, all presenters were aligned on the need to help companies incorporate the notion of planetary boundaries in their business practices in order to address as quickly as possible the environmental issues of the 21st century.

Most of the conventional environmental sustainability assessment methods, such as Life Cycle Assessment and environmental footprints, evaluate economic goods and services in terms of the nature or the function of the studied systems. As such, these methods overlook the variations in the overall magnitude of production and consumption patterns for the examined systems. As a result, the progress achieved in mitigating global environmental problems is likely to be slow and may be insignificant. Hence this study explores the interlinkages between the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Planetary Boundaries (PBs) using an DPSIR (Drivers-Pressures-State of the Environment-Impacts-Responses) impact pathway framework—in support of developing an absolute sustainability assessment method (ASAM). The study demonstrates that there is a substantial overlap between the SDGs and PBs. The science-based thresholds listed in the PBs can therefore be adopted as a complementary set of environmental boundaries for the SDG indicators. Overall, the study lays the foundation for advancing an ASAM that can guide policy- and decision-makers to operationalize the SDGs effectively.

In the seminar on “Financing Innovation and the Circular Economy (CE)”, organized by the European Investment Bank (EIB) in the context of the Life Cycle Management Conference 2017, experts of the EIB and EIB partner institutions (European Commission, Rabobank) spoke about the specific challenges involved in the transition to a CE and the role played by their institutions in accelerating this transition by means of appropriate funding, financing and advisory instruments. In short presentations, the speakers first explained the broader role of the EIB and the European Commission (EC) in supporting the transition to CE, as well as the general types of CE projects and the specific questions that project promoters can expect in project appraisal. EC, EIB and Rabobank representatives also presented the concrete support and products offered to innovative circular economy project promoters.

Regional development that is truly sustainable depends on the adoption of systematic and long-term criteria for decision-making at different levels, taking into account the full life cycle of raw materials and products, as well as of infrastructure projects. This session invited the presentation of life cycle management applications from both a scientific and a practitioner point of view, highlighting examples and case studies at regional level. The applications are relevant to private actors from different economic sectors as well as for public representatives responsible for regional planning and administrative procedures.

Life Cycle Assessment experts are working on environmental assessments with both feet on the ground and faced every day with challenges around data quality, allocation and other challenging topics. But what’s the perspective of the people that are the audience of the results: “How do they look at LCA?” The objective of this session was to show the value LCA has for people outside the LCA Community that are not as familiar with the topic as the Experts. Sanjeevan Bajaj (FICCI), Namy Espinoza-Orias (Nestlé), Pawin Boonyaporn (Advanced Biochemical), Jens-Christian Holst (Siemens) and Aubin Roy (AvniR) shared their experiences.

Nestlé’s purpose is to enhance the quality of life and contribute to a healthier future. In practice, it is translated into product development through a life cycle, multi-criteria, and integrated approach engaging internal and external stakeholders. An overview of the company’s values is presented as well as its creating shared value business principles, followed by an explanation of the Sustainability by Design program and how it is embedded into product innovation and renovation. The integrated development of a breakfast solution for children who skip breakfast exemplifies this approach. Being proactive and understanding that what matters to consumers entails all aspects of the product—going beyond quality and including sustainability—enriches the product development process, informs decision-making timely, provides consumers with a product they prefer, delivers competitive advantage, and supports the fulfilment of Nestlé’s public commitments.