How can you overcome barriers to LCA adoption in your organization?

3 Collect and manage your data

One of the most challenging aspects of LCA is data collection and management. You need to gather reliable and consistent data on the inputs and outputs of your product or service throughout its life cycle, from raw materials to end-of-life. This can involve multiple sources, such as suppliers, databases, literature, or measurements. You need to ensure that your data is accurate, relevant, and transparent, and that you document your sources and methods. You also need to store and organize your data in a way that allows you to update and reuse it for future LCA projects.

4 Build your skills and capacity

LCA is a complex and interdisciplinary field that requires specific skills and knowledge. You need to understand the principles and standards of LCA, as well as the technical and environmental aspects of your product or service. You also need to be able to interpret and communicate your LCA results in a meaningful and credible way. To build your skills and capacity, you can take advantage of various resources, such as training courses, webinars, books, or journals. You can also network and collaborate with other LCA practitioners and experts, such as consultants, researchers, or industry associations.

5 Gain support and commitment

LCA is not a one-off exercise, but a continuous improvement process that requires support and commitment from your organization. You need to engage and involve your key stakeholders, such as managers, engineers, designers, or customers, in your LCA project. You need to demonstrate how LCA can help them solve their problems, enhance their performance, or create new opportunities. You also need to establish a clear governance and accountability structure for your LCA project, as well as a feedback and learning mechanism to monitor and evaluate your progress and outcomes.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?