93
© The Author(s) 2015
G. Sonnemann, M. Margni (eds.), Life Cycle Management,
LCA Compendium – The Complete World of Life Cycle Assessment,
DOI 10.1007/978-94-017-7221-1_8
Chapter 8
From Projects to Processes to Implement Life
Cycle Management in Business
Martin Baitz
Abstract In general, companies start using a life cycle approach to manage the
sustainability challenges and opportunities of their products through projects using
life cycle assessment or other tools of the life cycle management toolbox like greenhouse gases accounting. As companies gain experience the way they manage the life
cycle of their products matures, it becomes less about implementing projects and
more about putting in place organization-wide procedures. The latter allow companies to address systematically the identifi ed business challenges and opportunities
of their whole portfolio or at least their key products with much less effort than carrying out multiple individual projects.
Keywords Life cycle assessment (LCA) • Life cycle management (LCM) •
Sustainability • Process integration
1 A Brief History of Life Cycle Approaches
In the beginning of a new thinking some aspects dominated the discussion. Energy –
in the way it is technically used so far – is limited and environmental impacts can be
a threat, if ignored. As the supply chain has to cooperate to solve (economic and
technical) tasks and harvest its opportunity, it was quite evident environmental
aspects needed a supply chain approach as well.
Life cycle thinking (LCT) was borne in the 1980s. In the 1990s, scientifi c bodies
like SETAC (Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry) recognized a
need to draft rules to harmonize the new way of thinking, calculating and analyzing
products systems in a way that international cooperation and exchange is fostered.
This “Code of Practice” (Consoli et al. 1993 ) may be understood as an important
yardstick to turn thinking into doing.
M. Baitz (*)
thinkstep AG , Hauptstraße 111-113 , 70771 Leinfelden-Echterdingen , Germany
e-mail: martin.baitz@thinkstep.com
© The Author(s) 2015
G. Sonnemann, M. Margni (eds.), Life Cycle Management,
LCA Compendium – The Complete World of Life Cycle Assessment,
DOI 10.1007/978-94-017-7221-1_8
Chapter 8
From Projects to Processes to Implement Life
Cycle Management in Business
Martin Baitz
Abstract In general, companies start using a life cycle approach to manage the
sustainability challenges and opportunities of their products through projects using
life cycle assessment or other tools of the life cycle management toolbox like greenhouse gases accounting. As companies gain experience the way they manage the life
cycle of their products matures, it becomes less about implementing projects and
more about putting in place organization-wide procedures. The latter allow companies to address systematically the identifi ed business challenges and opportunities
of their whole portfolio or at least their key products with much less effort than carrying out multiple individual projects.
Keywords Life cycle assessment (LCA) • Life cycle management (LCM) •
Sustainability • Process integration
1 A Brief History of Life Cycle Approaches
In the beginning of a new thinking some aspects dominated the discussion. Energy –
in the way it is technically used so far – is limited and environmental impacts can be
a threat, if ignored. As the supply chain has to cooperate to solve (economic and
technical) tasks and harvest its opportunity, it was quite evident environmental
aspects needed a supply chain approach as well.
Life cycle thinking (LCT) was borne in the 1980s. In the 1990s, scientifi c bodies
like SETAC (Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry) recognized a
need to draft rules to harmonize the new way of thinking, calculating and analyzing
products systems in a way that international cooperation and exchange is fostered.
This “Code of Practice” (Consoli et al. 1993 ) may be understood as an important
yardstick to turn thinking into doing.
M. Baitz (*)
thinkstep AG , Hauptstraße 111-113 , 70771 Leinfelden-Echterdingen , Germany
e-mail: martin.baitz@thinkstep.com