power of granular LCA data to drive strategic decisions aligned with sustainability goals. Product management teams can reimagine entire product portfolios, prioritising the development and introduction of eco-friendly offerings. Marketing teams can craft targeted campaigns that resonate with environmentally conscious costumers. Beyond basic product features and functionalities, salespeople can engage in conversations about a product’s life cycle impact and its contribution to a more sustainable future, fostering trust and transparency with customers. Building upon the foundation of granular product-level transparency established in Dimension 1 (Transparency on every product), Dimension 2 (Access for everyone who needs to know) emphasises the critical role of widespread access to LCA data. By granting this access across a diverse range of stakeholders within the organisation, several transformative outcomes are achieved. Organisations are empowered to manage potential trade-offs in pursuing environmental and economic sustainability targets. The establishment of a single source of truth readily available to all departments eliminates departmental silos and associated inefficiencies in manual information sharing. This ensures data consistency internally and externally, minimising discrepancies in reports and communications crucial for informed decision-making. Additionally, this accessibility fosters a culture of responsiveness. Teams can promptly and accurately address customer inquiries regarding a product’s environmental footprint, ultimately enhancing overall customer satisfaction. In conclusion, widespread access to LCA data empowers a data-centric approach throughout the organisation. This fosters informed choices, streamlines operations, and positions the company for success in achieving its sustainability goals. The resulting environmental and social benefits extend beyond the organisation, paving the way for a more sustainable future.
Sustainable value proposition
Future readiness
LCA at scale
Organisational e ciency
Informed decisions
Figure 4 LCA at industrial scale, driving business value across four key areas
Similarly, empowered by granular LCA data, the R&D and process engineering departments can play a pivotal role in reducing the company’s environmental footprint, specifically targeting Scope 1 and 2 emissions (see Table 1). This access to comprehensive environmental data translates into a two-pronged approach within R&D. On the one hand, product development teams can leverage LCA insights to integrate eco-design principles throughout the innovation process. This translates to optimising products for minimal environmental impact across their life cycle. This might involve prioritising the use of renewable materials, designing for circularity, and minimising energy consumption during both production and product use. On the other hand, process development teams can utilise LCA data to pinpoint areas within existing production processes that contribute most significantly to the company’s environmental burden. This empowers engineers to develop targeted strategies for improving process efficiency, reducing energy consumption, and minimising waste generation. By optimising production processes, R&D and engineering can contribute significantly to a smaller carbon footprint and a more sustainable future for the company. Even commercial roles typically focused on market share and profitability can leverage the
Roadmap to sustainability through transparency and empowerment
With its intricate value chains, the chemical industry faces a unique challenge in achieving true sustainability. This article has investigated the critical role of LCAs at industrial scale in navigating this transformation. Successful progress
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