35
© 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_4
Chapter 4
How to Implement Life Cycle
Management in Business?
Eskinder Demisse Gemechu , Guido Sonnemann , Arne Remmen ,
Jeppe Frydendal , and Allan Astrup Jensen
Abstract This chapter discusses how business can implement life cycle
sustainability assessment into their management strategies. Life cycle management
is a management approach that provides business a systematic way of managing
their sustainability issues. The PDCA (Plan, Do, Check and Act) cycle is one of the
quality management tools that can be used by companies to implement life cycle
management initiatives in order to improve their sustainability performance. The
relevance of the PDCA cycle is discussed to ensure a continuous performance
improvement by setting and implementing a well-defi ned plan, checking whether
the ambition goals are achieved or any adjustment actions are needed to continue
the evaluation process.
Keywords Life cycle assessment • Life cycle management • Life cycle sustainability
assessment • PDCA cycle (plan, do, check, act)
E. D. Gemechu (*) • G. Sonnemann
University of Bordeaux , ISM, UMR 5255 , 33400 Talence , France
CNRS , ISM, UMR 5255 , 33400 Talence , France
e-mail: eskinder.gemechu@u-bordeaux.fr
A. Remmen
Aalborg University , Aalborg , Denmark
J. Frydendal
Ecolabelling Denmark
Danish Standards Foundation
A. A. Jensen
Nordic Institute of Product Sustainability, Environmental
Chemistry and Toxicology (NIPSECT) , Copenhagen/Frederiksberg , Denmark
© 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_4
Chapter 4
How to Implement Life Cycle
Management in Business?
Eskinder Demisse Gemechu , Guido Sonnemann , Arne Remmen ,
Jeppe Frydendal , and Allan Astrup Jensen
Abstract This chapter discusses how business can implement life cycle
sustainability assessment into their management strategies. Life cycle management
is a management approach that provides business a systematic way of managing
their sustainability issues. The PDCA (Plan, Do, Check and Act) cycle is one of the
quality management tools that can be used by companies to implement life cycle
management initiatives in order to improve their sustainability performance. The
relevance of the PDCA cycle is discussed to ensure a continuous performance
improvement by setting and implementing a well-defi ned plan, checking whether
the ambition goals are achieved or any adjustment actions are needed to continue
the evaluation process.
Keywords Life cycle assessment • Life cycle management • Life cycle sustainability
assessment • PDCA cycle (plan, do, check, act)
E. D. Gemechu (*) • G. Sonnemann
University of Bordeaux , ISM, UMR 5255 , 33400 Talence , France
CNRS , ISM, UMR 5255 , 33400 Talence , France
e-mail: eskinder.gemechu@u-bordeaux.fr
A. Remmen
Aalborg University , Aalborg , Denmark
J. Frydendal
Ecolabelling Denmark
Danish Standards Foundation
A. A. Jensen
Nordic Institute of Product Sustainability, Environmental
Chemistry and Toxicology (NIPSECT) , Copenhagen/Frederiksberg , Denmark