Specify and Co-Ordinate Life Cycle Assessments in Support of Sustainable Business Practice
Overview
This standard is about supporting the application of life cycle assessment in support of sustainable business practice. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a method of assessing the environmental impact of a product or service across its entire life or life cycle, taking account of such things as raw material utilisation, energy usage and waste production. LCA involves the collection and evaluation of quantitative data on the inputs and outputs of material, the energy and the waste flows associated with a product so that an environmental impact can be determined.
The role described by this standard requires the ability to specify the requirements of a life cycle assessment leading to the commissioning of the assessment itself. It involves monitoring assessment activities before analysing the outcomes and making recommendations for change.
The ability to communicate with others is an important part of the standard.
This standard would be appropriate for:
Those responsible for supporting the development of sustainable business practice. It is likely to apply to technical staff and managers within organisations, those with responsibility for implementing environmental programmes and owner or managers within SMEs.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
P1 identify the drivers that direct and influence the product life cycle assessment
P2 specify the scope and guiding principles of the life cycle assessment in accordance with organisational sustainability objectives
P3 identify and obtain the resources required to support planned assessment
P4 commission life cycle assessments in accordance with organisational requirements
P5 support and co-ordinate the implementation of life cycle assessments
P6 monitor and evaluate life cycle assessment data and outcomes against specified requirements and life cycle principles
P7 use life cycle data to develop recommendations for change in support of more sustainable business practice
P8 report outcomes of life cycle assessments to stakeholders
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
K1 the guiding principles of life cycle assessment
K2 the legislation, industry standards, international standards, circular economy and voluntary codes that support the development of life cycle thinking
K3 how the implementation of life cycle thinking supports the economic, social and environmental principles of sustainability and sustainable business practice
K4 the sustainability objectives of the organisation
K5 how drivers can influence the life cycle assessment
K6 how the activities of the organisation can contribute to a product or service life cycle
K7 how product or service life cycles are used as indicators of environmental performance
K8 how to specify the scope and guiding principles of a life cycle assessment
K9 the resources required to complete life cycle assessments
K10 the skills and knowledge required by those commissioned to complete a life cycle assessment
K11 the concepts of ‘cradle to cradle’ and ‘cradle to grave’ in life cycle assessment
K12 life cycle data collection, analysis and evaluation techniques
K13 how the principles of relevance, completeness, consistency, accuracy and transparency underpin and ensure the completeness of the life cycle assessment
K14 how life cycle assessment can be used to help to reduce the environmental impact of an organisation
K15 how to monitor and report a life cycle assessment
K16 how to communicate life cycle assessment outcomes
K17 how to engage with different stakeholders
Scope/range
Drivers can be:
1 economic
2 social and ethical
3 environmental
4 customer and stakeholder perception
5 legislation
6 compliance
7 government policy
8 organisational governance
Assessments of:
1 inputs
2 outputs
3 energy usage
4 waste flows
Sustainability objectives include:
1 economic
2 social and ethical
3 environmental
Resources include:
1 people
2 finance
3 technology
4 knowledge
Stakeholders include:
1 decision makers
2 organisational colleagues
3 customers
4 suppliers