Implement Life Cycle Thinking Within an Organisation in Support of Sustainable Business Practice
Overview
This standard is about supporting the implementation of life cycle thinking in support of sustainable business practice. Life cycle thinking is accepting that a product or service can have an environmental impact across its entire life or life cycle, as a result of raw material utilisation, energy usage and waste production. Life cycle thinking is essential for organisations that are undertaking life cycle assessment as part of their commitment to environmental sustainability.
The role described by this standard requires that life cycle considerations relevant to an organisation are identified and promoted to others. It involves the creation of activities and materials to be used to stimulate life cycle thinking and an organisational culture willing to support a positive approach to sustainable business practice. 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 and owner/managers within SMEs. Including those with responsibility for implementing environmental programmes.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
P1 identify the drivers that support the implementation of life cycle thinking
P2 quantify the barriers that can limit the implementation of life cycle thinking
P3 use organisational life cycle data and information to create awareness raising activities and materials
P4 develop awareness raising activities and materials which meet the requirements of the organisations sustainability objectives
P5 gain approval and support for awareness raising programme from decision makers
P6 identify and obtain the resources required to support planned awareness raising programme and its associated activities
P7 support the delivery of the awareness raising activities to promote life cycle thinking to others
P8 monitor and evaluate the development of life cycle thinking within the organisation
P9 provide additional support to correct any shortfalls in life cycle awareness within the organisation
P10 report on impact of awareness raising programmes to decision makers
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
K1 the principles of life cycle thinking
K2 the legislation, industry 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 how product or service life cycles are used as indicators of environmental performance
K5 the processes used to assess and specify life cycles including the concepts of ‘cradle to cradle’ and ‘cradle to grave’
K6 how raw material utilisation, production, delivery, energy usage and
waste contribute to a product or service life cycle
K7 the processes used to collect data on environmental impact
K8 the techniques used to analyse life cycle data and information
K9 the sustainability objectives of the organisation
K10 how to determine the attitude and understanding of others
K11 how to develop materials to support awareness raising activities
K12 the delivery and resource requirements of the different awareness raising activities
K13 communication techniques and skills
K14 how to monitor and report on promotional activities
Scope/range
Drivers include:
1 economic
2 social and ethical
3 environmental
4 customer and stakeholder perception
5 legislation
6 circular economy
7compliance
8 government policy
9 organisational governance
Barriers include:
1 economic
2 the attitudes of others
3 the understanding of others
Awareness raising activities include:
1 formal training events
2 the provision of publicity and information
3 workplace coaching and mentoring
Sustainability objectives include:
1 economic
2 social and ethical
3 environmental
Others include:
1 colleagues
2 customers
3 suppliers
4 stakeholders