42
Experience with LCM and other management systems shows the value of having
interested, enthusiastic people at all levels of the organization.
In general, successful implementation of LCM framework in an organization
requires a proper allocation of human and other relevant resources, assignment of
responsibilities and accountabilities based on each team member’s role for the
different tasks, building expertise based on practical experience as well as
procedures and instruction to ensure that activities are running properly (Remmen
et al. 2007 ).
2.1.3 Review the Sustainability Status and Set Objectives and Targets
LCM tries to implement life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) (UNEP 2011 )
into a real world decision-making process by applying a life cycle management
concept with the aim of maximizing both the social, environmental and economic
aspects of individual organization along its products lines (Finkbeiner 2011 ).
Therefore, reviewing the organization’s products is an important step to identify
when and how to start the LCM process. The review helps to have an overview on
the sustainability status of the organization and also where it wants to go for. The
review process mainly covers gathering information associated with a product life
cycle, market situation and external stakeholders. Information about important
suppliers, business associations, authorities, retailers, research institutions, etc.
needs to be included so that important aspects are covered.
Many companies already possess information on the impacts of their production
processes and operations, but are uncertain of how to expand their understanding to
the product life cycle and to think in terms of products rather than processes in order
to identify material fl ows through the entire product life cycle. This would include
impacts associated with suppliers, purchased materials or components, storage and
distribution, use of the product and waste streams.
Important aspects that need to be reviewed are summarized in Table 4.3 . They
are categorized into aspects for environmental and social impacts, for market or
commercial conditions and for stakeholders. Aspects for environmental and social
impacts include understanding of impacts associated with the company’s processes
or products. The aspects should not be limited to the organization’s territory, rather
they have to go beyond the facility boundary to include the whole supply chain, both
internal and external stakeholders. ISO 14031 – environmental management –
which is an environmental performance evaluation standard and guideline (ISO
2013 ) can be applied to asses companies in evaluating their performance against
their policy, objectives, targets and other criteria associated with their products.
It can also be adapted to be applied to address other management aspects, e.g. quality or health and safety, and from a sustainability perspective economic and social
aspects as well. For companies engaged in sustainability actions, the information
may be already available in their corporate and environmental reports. In general,
this information is presented in terms of the production process, rather than the
single product.
E.D. Gemechu et al.
Experience with LCM and other management systems shows the value of having
interested, enthusiastic people at all levels of the organization.
In general, successful implementation of LCM framework in an organization
requires a proper allocation of human and other relevant resources, assignment of
responsibilities and accountabilities based on each team member’s role for the
different tasks, building expertise based on practical experience as well as
procedures and instruction to ensure that activities are running properly (Remmen
et al. 2007 ).
2.1.3 Review the Sustainability Status and Set Objectives and Targets
LCM tries to implement life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) (UNEP 2011 )
into a real world decision-making process by applying a life cycle management
concept with the aim of maximizing both the social, environmental and economic
aspects of individual organization along its products lines (Finkbeiner 2011 ).
Therefore, reviewing the organization’s products is an important step to identify
when and how to start the LCM process. The review helps to have an overview on
the sustainability status of the organization and also where it wants to go for. The
review process mainly covers gathering information associated with a product life
cycle, market situation and external stakeholders. Information about important
suppliers, business associations, authorities, retailers, research institutions, etc.
needs to be included so that important aspects are covered.
Many companies already possess information on the impacts of their production
processes and operations, but are uncertain of how to expand their understanding to
the product life cycle and to think in terms of products rather than processes in order
to identify material fl ows through the entire product life cycle. This would include
impacts associated with suppliers, purchased materials or components, storage and
distribution, use of the product and waste streams.
Important aspects that need to be reviewed are summarized in Table 4.3 . They
are categorized into aspects for environmental and social impacts, for market or
commercial conditions and for stakeholders. Aspects for environmental and social
impacts include understanding of impacts associated with the company’s processes
or products. The aspects should not be limited to the organization’s territory, rather
they have to go beyond the facility boundary to include the whole supply chain, both
internal and external stakeholders. ISO 14031 – environmental management –
which is an environmental performance evaluation standard and guideline (ISO
2013 ) can be applied to asses companies in evaluating their performance against
their policy, objectives, targets and other criteria associated with their products.
It can also be adapted to be applied to address other management aspects, e.g. quality or health and safety, and from a sustainability perspective economic and social
aspects as well. For companies engaged in sustainability actions, the information
may be already available in their corporate and environmental reports. In general,
this information is presented in terms of the production process, rather than the
single product.
E.D. Gemechu et al.