Beginner’s guide to
Life Cycle Assessment

This guide describes the key features of an LCA and how it can be used to better understand the environmental implications of the products you manufacture, purchase or sell.

International supply chains have global environmental implications and the growing emphasis on sustainability has prompted the need for organisations to incorporate life cycle thinking into their decision-making. This approach supports the transition from the linear, take, make, dispose economic model to a sustainable, circular alternative. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tools provide an objective method to demonstrate your commitment to sustainability by increasing your awareness of the impacts purchasing decisions and production systems have on the natural environment. LCA goes beyond the traditional focus of legal compliance by encouraging proactive management of environmental aspects and impacts, thus supporting Environmental Management System goals.