51
© 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_5
Chapter 5
Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment: A Tool
for Exercising Due Diligence in Life Cycle
Management
Bernard Mazijn and Jean-Pierre Revéret
Abstract Starting from the output ‘The Future We Want’ of the Rio+20 conference
2012, the main focus of this chapter is on social responsibility (SR) in the value
chain. The historical context of SR is discussed, related to the international standards as are the Guidance on Social Responsibility and the Global Reporting
Initiative, linked with the management of organizations and enterprises. It is emphasized that due diligence along the value chain is seen as a requirement for claiming
‘social responsibility’. Life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) contributes to
the assessment and life cycle management (LCM) to the follow-up of exercising due
diligence, all within the context of sustainable development. The over-arching
LCSA is a combination of three different life cycle assessment techniques allowing
to assess the impacts along the value chain: environmental LCA, social LCA and
life cycle costing.
Keywords Life cycle assessment • Life cycle management • Life cycle sustainability assessment • Life cycle thinking • Rio+20 conference • Social responsibility
1 Introduction
The Rio+20 conference (2012) addressed the themes of ‘a green economy in the
context of sustainable development and poverty eradication’, and of ‘the institutional framework for sustainable development’ as referred to in the output of the
conference titled The Future We Want (UN 2012a , b ).
B. Mazijn (*)
Ghent University and IDO vzw , p/a Michel Van Hammestraat 76 , 8310 Bruges , Belgium
e-mail: bernard.mazijn@ugent.be
J.-P. Revéret
CIRAIG – Université du Québec à Montréal ,
Case postale 8888, succ. Centre-Ville , Montréal H3C 3P8 , QC , Canada
© 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_5
Chapter 5
Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment: A Tool
for Exercising Due Diligence in Life Cycle
Management
Bernard Mazijn and Jean-Pierre Revéret
Abstract Starting from the output ‘The Future We Want’ of the Rio+20 conference
2012, the main focus of this chapter is on social responsibility (SR) in the value
chain. The historical context of SR is discussed, related to the international standards as are the Guidance on Social Responsibility and the Global Reporting
Initiative, linked with the management of organizations and enterprises. It is emphasized that due diligence along the value chain is seen as a requirement for claiming
‘social responsibility’. Life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) contributes to
the assessment and life cycle management (LCM) to the follow-up of exercising due
diligence, all within the context of sustainable development. The over-arching
LCSA is a combination of three different life cycle assessment techniques allowing
to assess the impacts along the value chain: environmental LCA, social LCA and
life cycle costing.
Keywords Life cycle assessment • Life cycle management • Life cycle sustainability assessment • Life cycle thinking • Rio+20 conference • Social responsibility
1 Introduction
The Rio+20 conference (2012) addressed the themes of ‘a green economy in the
context of sustainable development and poverty eradication’, and of ‘the institutional framework for sustainable development’ as referred to in the output of the
conference titled The Future We Want (UN 2012a , b ).
B. Mazijn (*)
Ghent University and IDO vzw , p/a Michel Van Hammestraat 76 , 8310 Bruges , Belgium
e-mail: bernard.mazijn@ugent.be
J.-P. Revéret
CIRAIG – Université du Québec à Montréal ,
Case postale 8888, succ. Centre-Ville , Montréal H3C 3P8 , QC , Canada