240
concerns and to align LCM efforts with company business strategy. Collaborative
networks where more advanced companies can share their knowledge are a key
enabler, particularly in developing economies.
Keywords Business • LCM capability maturity model • Life cycle assessment •
Life cycle management • Life cycle thinking • Sustainability • UNEP/SETAC life
cycle initiative • Value chains
1 Introduction
Advances in information and communication technology have enabled companies
to rationalize their production systems across the globe for peak effi ciency, providing a continuous stream of innovative and low-cost consumer goods. The dramatic
expansion of the market economy has been extremely successful in raising the
material standards of living. However, there is growing awareness that the material
and energy intensive modes of current production systems are unsustainable as the
size of the global middle class consumer market is expected to grow from 1.8 billion
in 2009 to 4.9 billion by 2030 (Pezzini 2012 ). Business has recognized the challenge and is moving from a narrow focus on short-term economic value to a broader
concept of shared value, defi ned as policies and operating practices that enhance the
competitiveness of a company while simultaneously improving the economic and
social conditions in its host community (Porter and Kramer 2011 ). Leading companies, as well as some new fi rms, are working to develop value chain indices that
measure and price all externalities, from raw materials to fi nal product disposal
enabling direct comparison of products at the point-of-sale (Chouinard et al. 2011 ;
UNEP/SETAC 2014 , 2015 ). Life cycle assessment (LCA) is an internationally standardized method for quantifying environmental impacts of product systems and has
been recognized as the primary methodology for helping decision-makers select
effective improvement strategies while avoiding burden shifting between impact
categories or life stages (Guinée et al. 2011 ; Hellweg and Milà i Canals 2014 ).
However, there is concern that small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) lack the
capacity to provide quality data for the various supply chain metrics, let alone conduct comprehensive LCAs.
The UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative has been working to promote the implementation of life cycle management, or the effective integration of life cycle thinking into the day-to-day routines of business (UNEP /SETAC 2013a ) for more than a
decade. During Phase I (2002–2007), researchers identifi ed a need for training
materials and technical resources to build capacity for life cycle management
(LCM), particularly in developing economies and small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) (Saur et al. 2003 ). During Phase II (2007–2012), one of the work
areas was life cycle approaches for capability development (including institutional
empowerment, training, curricular development, etc.), with a particular focus on
T.E. Swarr et al.
concerns and to align LCM efforts with company business strategy. Collaborative
networks where more advanced companies can share their knowledge are a key
enabler, particularly in developing economies.
Keywords Business • LCM capability maturity model • Life cycle assessment •
Life cycle management • Life cycle thinking • Sustainability • UNEP/SETAC life
cycle initiative • Value chains
1 Introduction
Advances in information and communication technology have enabled companies
to rationalize their production systems across the globe for peak effi ciency, providing a continuous stream of innovative and low-cost consumer goods. The dramatic
expansion of the market economy has been extremely successful in raising the
material standards of living. However, there is growing awareness that the material
and energy intensive modes of current production systems are unsustainable as the
size of the global middle class consumer market is expected to grow from 1.8 billion
in 2009 to 4.9 billion by 2030 (Pezzini 2012 ). Business has recognized the challenge and is moving from a narrow focus on short-term economic value to a broader
concept of shared value, defi ned as policies and operating practices that enhance the
competitiveness of a company while simultaneously improving the economic and
social conditions in its host community (Porter and Kramer 2011 ). Leading companies, as well as some new fi rms, are working to develop value chain indices that
measure and price all externalities, from raw materials to fi nal product disposal
enabling direct comparison of products at the point-of-sale (Chouinard et al. 2011 ;
UNEP/SETAC 2014 , 2015 ). Life cycle assessment (LCA) is an internationally standardized method for quantifying environmental impacts of product systems and has
been recognized as the primary methodology for helping decision-makers select
effective improvement strategies while avoiding burden shifting between impact
categories or life stages (Guinée et al. 2011 ; Hellweg and Milà i Canals 2014 ).
However, there is concern that small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) lack the
capacity to provide quality data for the various supply chain metrics, let alone conduct comprehensive LCAs.
The UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative has been working to promote the implementation of life cycle management, or the effective integration of life cycle thinking into the day-to-day routines of business (UNEP /SETAC 2013a ) for more than a
decade. During Phase I (2002–2007), researchers identifi ed a need for training
materials and technical resources to build capacity for life cycle management
(LCM), particularly in developing economies and small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) (Saur et al. 2003 ). During Phase II (2007–2012), one of the work
areas was life cycle approaches for capability development (including institutional
empowerment, training, curricular development, etc.), with a particular focus on
T.E. Swarr et al.