266
In India, value systems that discourage non-conventional behavior are still
“mainstream”, but this is changing as being conventional and as weak and conformist. A need for mainstreaming social reform has been recognized in India and is
being implemented through provisions in the Constitution and various laws. The
social reform currently in place is questioning many traditional practices such as
those perpetuating inequalities based on gender, caste or economic class. Although
the social reform in India has legal support, substantial changes are still far behind.
While mainstreaming life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSM) in industrialized
countries focuses on effective communication between opinion leaders and consumers on life cycle thinking, in developing countries it is capacity-building of
companies and governments. Information-sharing platforms and demonstration
projects are essential in developing countries.
2.1 Methodology and Criteria for the Assessment
of Mainstreaming Conditions
The focus of the assessment of mainstreaming conditions concerns 18 rapidly
growing and emerging economies that were selected according to geographical balance (Table 19.1 ).
Aside from gender, the criteria used to assess the mainstreaming conditions
status of LCSM/LCA were inspired by the survey from AIST ( 2006 ) to analyze the
situation of LCA implementation in selected countries, including Brazil, Malaysia
and Australia. The following criteria were applied:
(a) LCM and LCA training activities in place. Results in Table 19.1 are interpreted
as follows: 0 is equal to “not at all”; 1 to “only on LCA”; 2 to “multiple on
LCM/LCA”; and 3 to “many good quality ones on LCM/LCA”.
(b) LCA studies available. This implies that local data exist and that organisations
start to implement LCSM. The scores have the following interpretations: 0: not
at all; 1: few studies; 2: some, mainly by academics; and 3: many, by academics
and big companies.
(c) National LCA database operating. This is the basic infrastructure needed to
have the potential to mainstream LCSM. Three cases are considered: 0: there is
no database; 1: a database is under development; and 2: local database is
available for core sectors in the country.
(d) Active national life cycle network(s), including information on size of the
network and gender balance aspects (Buckingham-Hatfi eld 2002 ). In general,
these networks can function as a major multiplier for applications of LCSM by
organisation. The fi rst part (d.1) indicates the existence (“1”) or not (“0”) of a
network in the country; 0/1 means that there is neither agreement on the existence of a network nor a website available. The second part (d.2) refers to the
size of the network and the last part (d.3) to the percentage of women.
S. Valdivia et al.
In India, value systems that discourage non-conventional behavior are still
“mainstream”, but this is changing as being conventional and as weak and conformist. A need for mainstreaming social reform has been recognized in India and is
being implemented through provisions in the Constitution and various laws. The
social reform currently in place is questioning many traditional practices such as
those perpetuating inequalities based on gender, caste or economic class. Although
the social reform in India has legal support, substantial changes are still far behind.
While mainstreaming life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSM) in industrialized
countries focuses on effective communication between opinion leaders and consumers on life cycle thinking, in developing countries it is capacity-building of
companies and governments. Information-sharing platforms and demonstration
projects are essential in developing countries.
2.1 Methodology and Criteria for the Assessment
of Mainstreaming Conditions
The focus of the assessment of mainstreaming conditions concerns 18 rapidly
growing and emerging economies that were selected according to geographical balance (Table 19.1 ).
Aside from gender, the criteria used to assess the mainstreaming conditions
status of LCSM/LCA were inspired by the survey from AIST ( 2006 ) to analyze the
situation of LCA implementation in selected countries, including Brazil, Malaysia
and Australia. The following criteria were applied:
(a) LCM and LCA training activities in place. Results in Table 19.1 are interpreted
as follows: 0 is equal to “not at all”; 1 to “only on LCA”; 2 to “multiple on
LCM/LCA”; and 3 to “many good quality ones on LCM/LCA”.
(b) LCA studies available. This implies that local data exist and that organisations
start to implement LCSM. The scores have the following interpretations: 0: not
at all; 1: few studies; 2: some, mainly by academics; and 3: many, by academics
and big companies.
(c) National LCA database operating. This is the basic infrastructure needed to
have the potential to mainstream LCSM. Three cases are considered: 0: there is
no database; 1: a database is under development; and 2: local database is
available for core sectors in the country.
(d) Active national life cycle network(s), including information on size of the
network and gender balance aspects (Buckingham-Hatfi eld 2002 ). In general,
these networks can function as a major multiplier for applications of LCSM by
organisation. The fi rst part (d.1) indicates the existence (“1”) or not (“0”) of a
network in the country; 0/1 means that there is neither agreement on the existence of a network nor a website available. The second part (d.2) refers to the
size of the network and the last part (d.3) to the percentage of women.
S. Valdivia et al.