100
A third example of successful scoping is from a German specialty chemical
company. Very early the leading heads of the initiative recognized the goal of the
endeavour must be to turn LCA from a project based business into something
embedded into the core processes of the company to avoid implementation risks of
new products or processes. The solution was to focus on dedicated and relevant
products and projects with the support of an in-house team. This led to instant
knowledge transfer to the companies’ sustainability team. This was achieved with
professional software and database solution and ad hoc on-demand consulting
supplemented from the external partner. The benefi ts are extensively and reliably
used and communicated LCA information throughout the company. The LCA group
also experienced extraordinary internal and external visibility and success.
2.3 Scaling to Prepare Process Phase
After successful scoping, the company aims to scale the approach according to their
specifi c product or business strategy. Appropriate communication of facts based on
one core life cycle information system is essential. C-level, engineering department
heads as well as research engineers need tailored communication packages based on
the same facts and data.
Therefore software and database management and maintenance ideally moves
into the core of the activity. Foreground data management and in-house data collection needs to be consistent with supplier data collection and integration as well as
background data management. Data updates from the background data supplier and
distribution of their own company data to subsidiaries is organized including quality
assurance routines. Leading companies start to organize their work by client–server
based team work approaches. To harvest information synergies similar activities are
combined under one common umbrella of a life cycle based sustainability approach,
incorporating corporate sustainability activities as well as compliance and material
information topics.
Integration and automation is a core topic if companies aim to scale their life
cycle based sustainability activities. Automated LCA generation using existing
information like e.g. “bill-of-materials (BOM)” or recipe lists is another area where
leading companies are scaling the process towards higher quality in less time.
Linking to ERP systems and available in-house data systems is also a promising step
in scaling. The scaling phase increasingly enables integrated monetary assessments,
with approaches like life cycle costing (LCC) and environmental costing approaches
(e.g. Trucost) along with options to quantify or evaluate social aspects.
Summarizing, it can be said that in the scaling phase enterprise sustainability
performance software (GRI, Energy & Carbon, EH&S, supply chain, building portfolios), management systems (EMAS, ISO 14001/50001), product sustainability
performance software (LCA, EPD, PEF, Eco-Design), EPD and LCA automation as
well as PLM-integrated materials compliance management is most effective when
M. Baitz
A third example of successful scoping is from a German specialty chemical
company. Very early the leading heads of the initiative recognized the goal of the
endeavour must be to turn LCA from a project based business into something
embedded into the core processes of the company to avoid implementation risks of
new products or processes. The solution was to focus on dedicated and relevant
products and projects with the support of an in-house team. This led to instant
knowledge transfer to the companies’ sustainability team. This was achieved with
professional software and database solution and ad hoc on-demand consulting
supplemented from the external partner. The benefi ts are extensively and reliably
used and communicated LCA information throughout the company. The LCA group
also experienced extraordinary internal and external visibility and success.
2.3 Scaling to Prepare Process Phase
After successful scoping, the company aims to scale the approach according to their
specifi c product or business strategy. Appropriate communication of facts based on
one core life cycle information system is essential. C-level, engineering department
heads as well as research engineers need tailored communication packages based on
the same facts and data.
Therefore software and database management and maintenance ideally moves
into the core of the activity. Foreground data management and in-house data collection needs to be consistent with supplier data collection and integration as well as
background data management. Data updates from the background data supplier and
distribution of their own company data to subsidiaries is organized including quality
assurance routines. Leading companies start to organize their work by client–server
based team work approaches. To harvest information synergies similar activities are
combined under one common umbrella of a life cycle based sustainability approach,
incorporating corporate sustainability activities as well as compliance and material
information topics.
Integration and automation is a core topic if companies aim to scale their life
cycle based sustainability activities. Automated LCA generation using existing
information like e.g. “bill-of-materials (BOM)” or recipe lists is another area where
leading companies are scaling the process towards higher quality in less time.
Linking to ERP systems and available in-house data systems is also a promising step
in scaling. The scaling phase increasingly enables integrated monetary assessments,
with approaches like life cycle costing (LCC) and environmental costing approaches
(e.g. Trucost) along with options to quantify or evaluate social aspects.
Summarizing, it can be said that in the scaling phase enterprise sustainability
performance software (GRI, Energy & Carbon, EH&S, supply chain, building portfolios), management systems (EMAS, ISO 14001/50001), product sustainability
performance software (LCA, EPD, PEF, Eco-Design), EPD and LCA automation as
well as PLM-integrated materials compliance management is most effective when
M. Baitz