259
• To provide access and disseminate LCA information in Brazil through studies,
good practices and specialists
• To infl uence and support governments to create a Brazilian LCA database
To be linked to an institution that have the representativeness in the sustainable
development fi eld and that could give support to the Network for achieving its goals
turned out to be an interesting path. So, in 2014, the Brazilian Business Council for
Sustainable Development (BCSD – Brazil) became the coordinator of the Network.
BCSD-Brazil is a non-profi t civil association that promotes sustainable development for companies that operate in Brazil by interacting with governments and civil
society, being the representative in Brazil of the World Business Council for
Sustainable Development (WBCSD) (CEBDS 2015 ).
Until May 2015, approximately 20 members joined the Network, amongst others,
3M do Brasil, Alcoa, Arcelor Mittal, BASF, Duratex, Klabin, Petrobras, Vale,
Volkswagen and Votorantim Cimentos.
The company members have complex and extensive value chains which are key
for the dissemination of life cycle thinking. So, they infl uence not only their value
chains and peers, but also the governments and the civil society. In terms of actions
to support and infl uence governments, the Network plays a key role in the development of the Brazilian Data Base which will enable access of trustful life cycle information regarding the Brazilian reality.
Through BCSD-Brazil, the Network has created a partnership with the United
Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and IBICT to build up the capacity of
local specialists for the development and adaptation of datasets.
Not only specialists must be prepared to work with LCA but also corporate professionals should be aware of basic LCA and LCM concepts. In this sense, the
Network has launched in October 2014 a 2-day course designed for a corporate
audience which had Professor Cassia Ugaya, from Federal Technological University
of Parana (UFTPR, acronym in Portuguese), as a trainer. The 2014 edition was well
succeeded and had 36 participants from 23 companies from many different sectors
like Adidas, KPMG and Caixa Econômica Federal (CEBDS 2014 ).
These two accomplishments were the result of the work developed by two of the
Network’s Working Groups (WG). In order to achieve its objectives the Network is
divided into fi ve WGs which are: Accreditation, Capacity Building and Professional
Education, Communication, Data Base and Labelling. This division enables the
development of specifi c projects on each key area for promoting LCM in Brazil.
3 Implementing Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle
Management Within Companies
Incorporating life cycle thinking into company’s management is a complex task,
despite the benefi ts it can bring. The main challenges are: professional training, top
leadership commitment, availability of sensitive data (regarding intellectual
18 Promoting Life Cycle Thinking, Life Cycle Assessment…
• To provide access and disseminate LCA information in Brazil through studies,
good practices and specialists
• To infl uence and support governments to create a Brazilian LCA database
To be linked to an institution that have the representativeness in the sustainable
development fi eld and that could give support to the Network for achieving its goals
turned out to be an interesting path. So, in 2014, the Brazilian Business Council for
Sustainable Development (BCSD – Brazil) became the coordinator of the Network.
BCSD-Brazil is a non-profi t civil association that promotes sustainable development for companies that operate in Brazil by interacting with governments and civil
society, being the representative in Brazil of the World Business Council for
Sustainable Development (WBCSD) (CEBDS 2015 ).
Until May 2015, approximately 20 members joined the Network, amongst others,
3M do Brasil, Alcoa, Arcelor Mittal, BASF, Duratex, Klabin, Petrobras, Vale,
Volkswagen and Votorantim Cimentos.
The company members have complex and extensive value chains which are key
for the dissemination of life cycle thinking. So, they infl uence not only their value
chains and peers, but also the governments and the civil society. In terms of actions
to support and infl uence governments, the Network plays a key role in the development of the Brazilian Data Base which will enable access of trustful life cycle information regarding the Brazilian reality.
Through BCSD-Brazil, the Network has created a partnership with the United
Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and IBICT to build up the capacity of
local specialists for the development and adaptation of datasets.
Not only specialists must be prepared to work with LCA but also corporate professionals should be aware of basic LCA and LCM concepts. In this sense, the
Network has launched in October 2014 a 2-day course designed for a corporate
audience which had Professor Cassia Ugaya, from Federal Technological University
of Parana (UFTPR, acronym in Portuguese), as a trainer. The 2014 edition was well
succeeded and had 36 participants from 23 companies from many different sectors
like Adidas, KPMG and Caixa Econômica Federal (CEBDS 2014 ).
These two accomplishments were the result of the work developed by two of the
Network’s Working Groups (WG). In order to achieve its objectives the Network is
divided into fi ve WGs which are: Accreditation, Capacity Building and Professional
Education, Communication, Data Base and Labelling. This division enables the
development of specifi c projects on each key area for promoting LCM in Brazil.
3 Implementing Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle
Management Within Companies
Incorporating life cycle thinking into company’s management is a complex task,
despite the benefi ts it can bring. The main challenges are: professional training, top
leadership commitment, availability of sensitive data (regarding intellectual
18 Promoting Life Cycle Thinking, Life Cycle Assessment…