239
© 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_17
Chapter 17
Building Organizational Capability for Life
Cycle Management
Thomas E. Swarr , Anne-Claire Asselin , Llorenç Milà i Canals ,
Archana Datta , Angela Fisher , William Flanagan , Kinga Grenda ,
David Hunkeler , Stephane Morel , Oscar Alberto Vargas Moreno ,
and M. Graça Rasteiro
Abstract Corporations are being pressured to integrate life cycle thinking and
practices across global supply chains. The UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative has
been developing a life cycle management capability maturity model (LCM CMM)
to help mainstream life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle management (LCM).
Pilot projects in small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to apply the model
showed the companies were able to identify and implement projects that delivered
both near-term business value and developed the organizational capability for
LCM. A key benefi t of the life cycle approach was enhanced cross-functional integration and collaboration with suppliers and customers. The projects did identify a
need for more guidance on how to interpret the business impact of environmental
T. E. Swarr (*)
Yale University , New Haven , CT , USA
e-mail: thomas.swarr@yale.edu
A.-C. Asselin • L. Milà i Canals
Division of Technology, Industry and Economics , UNEP , Paris , France
A. Datta
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) , New Delhi , India
A. Fisher • W. Flanagan
General Electric, Ecoassessment Center of Excellence , Niskayuna , NY , USA
K. Grenda • M. G. Rasteiro
University of Coimbra , Coimbra , Portugal
D. Hunkeler
aquaTECH , Geneva , Switzerland
S. Morel
Renault, Alliance Technology Development , Guyancourt , France
O. A. V. Moreno
Secretaría Distrial de Ambiente (SDA) , Bogotá , Colombia
© 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_17
Chapter 17
Building Organizational Capability for Life
Cycle Management
Thomas E. Swarr , Anne-Claire Asselin , Llorenç Milà i Canals ,
Archana Datta , Angela Fisher , William Flanagan , Kinga Grenda ,
David Hunkeler , Stephane Morel , Oscar Alberto Vargas Moreno ,
and M. Graça Rasteiro
Abstract Corporations are being pressured to integrate life cycle thinking and
practices across global supply chains. The UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative has
been developing a life cycle management capability maturity model (LCM CMM)
to help mainstream life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle management (LCM).
Pilot projects in small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to apply the model
showed the companies were able to identify and implement projects that delivered
both near-term business value and developed the organizational capability for
LCM. A key benefi t of the life cycle approach was enhanced cross-functional integration and collaboration with suppliers and customers. The projects did identify a
need for more guidance on how to interpret the business impact of environmental
T. E. Swarr (*)
Yale University , New Haven , CT , USA
e-mail: thomas.swarr@yale.edu
A.-C. Asselin • L. Milà i Canals
Division of Technology, Industry and Economics , UNEP , Paris , France
A. Datta
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) , New Delhi , India
A. Fisher • W. Flanagan
General Electric, Ecoassessment Center of Excellence , Niskayuna , NY , USA
K. Grenda • M. G. Rasteiro
University of Coimbra , Coimbra , Portugal
D. Hunkeler
aquaTECH , Geneva , Switzerland
S. Morel
Renault, Alliance Technology Development , Guyancourt , France
O. A. V. Moreno
Secretaría Distrial de Ambiente (SDA) , Bogotá , Colombia