Social life cycle assessment: in pursuit of a framework for assessing wood-based products from bioeconomy regions in Germany

Siebert, A.; Bezama, Alberto; O’Keeffe, S.; Thrän, Daniela

doi:10.1007/s11367-016-1066-0

Cited by 66 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Taking this into account, the main indicators must also be selected and/or validated by the stakeholders (see [36]). Moreover, with reference to context-specific SLCA, various scholars [50,51] suggest the integration of top-down, universally recognized social sustainability aspects with bottom-up context-specific social aspects (for example, drawing on national and regional sustainability strategies, sector-specific issues and stakeholders' interests). In this vein, Mattila et al [52] suggested an approach based on the integration of global methods with participatory methods involving local stakeholders.…”

Section: S-lca Applied To Bio-based Productsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Life Cycle Approach as a Tool for Promoting the Market Uptake of Bio-Based Products from a Consumer Perspective

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Imbert

2018

Sustainability

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Abstract:The sustainability of bio-based products, especially when compared with fossil based products, must be assured. The life cycle approach has proven to be a promising way to analyze the social, economic and environmental impacts of bio-based products along the whole value chain. Until now, however, the social aspects have been under-investigated in comparison to environmental and economic aspects. In this context, the present paper aims to identify the main social impact categories and indicators that should be included in a social sustainability assessment of bio-based products, with a focus on the consumers' category. To identify which social categories and indicators are most relevant, we carry out a literature review on existing social life cycle studies; this is followed by a focus group with industrial experts and academics. Afterwards, we conduct semi-structured interviews with some consumer representatives to understand which social indicators pertaining to consumers are perceived as relevant. Our findings highlight the necessity for the development and dissemination of improved frameworks capable of exploiting the consumers' role in the ongoing process of market uptake of bio-based products. More specifically, this need regards the effective inclusion of some social indicators (i.e., end users' health and safety, feedback mechanisms, transparency, and end-of-life responsibility) in the social life cycle assessment scheme for bio-based products. This would allow consumers, where properly communicated, to make more informed and aware purchasing choices, therefore having a flywheel effect on the market diffusion of a bio-based product.

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Section: S-lca Applied To Bio-based Productsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Life Cycle Approach as a Tool for Promoting the Market Uptake of Bio-Based Products from a Consumer Perspective

Falcone

Imbert

2018

Sustainability

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“…Recently, along with emerging comprehensive LCSA studies (see Jungmeier et al, 2016;Keller, Rettenmaier, & Reinhardt, 2015) and research on environmental impacts, there has been an increase in SLCA studies focused on bio-based products (see, e.g., Macombe, Leskinen, Feschet, & Antikainen, 2013;Rafiaani et al, 2018;Siebert, Bezama, O'Keeffe, & Thrän, 2018a). The use of adequate measures could support policy makers in designing a fit-for-purpose social sustainability scheme (with respect to, e.g., standards, labels, and certifications) that effectively addresses product-related impacts on different stakeholders (Jørgensen, Dreyer, & Wangel, 2012).…”

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confidence: 99%

Transitioning towards the bio‐economy: Assessing the social dimension through a stakeholder lens

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García

Imbert

et al. 2019

Corp Soc Responsibility Env

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International institutions are calling for a transition towards more sustainable systems of production and consumption. In this transition, sustainable innovations are expected to play an ever-increasing role. In particular, the production of innovative bio-based products-products wholly or partly derived from biological materials or from innovative production processes and/or innovative biomass such as food waste or forest residuals-will be part of this process. However, the sustainability of such products must be assured along their entire life cycle and across the three dimensions mentioned above. Against this background, our study aimed at identifying a social impact framework tailored to bio-based products. It employed a two-step methodological framework encompassing (a) identification of the relevant social impact categories, subcategories, and indicators and (b) validation of these factors, according to participatory stakeholder involvement. The validation exercise enabled us to consider a restricted number of social indicators so as to reduce the amount of data needed for assessing and decreasing related costs.

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“…The development of life cycle approaches for the evaluation and monitoring of social aspects considering regional sustainability management are still in progress [12]. In this context, the "RESPONSA" (Regional SPecific cONtextualised Social life cycle Assessment) framework was established in 2018, in order to assess social impacts with particular respect to regional perspectives in a wood-based BE [2,10,21]. The goal of this work is to present initial results of the application of the RESPONSA method to the evaluation of a wood-based BE network in central Germany, in order to identify hotspots and opportunities in the evaluated value chain in terms of its potential socio-economic impacts at a regional level.…”

Section: Definition Of Goal and Scopementioning

confidence: 99%

A Regional Socio-Economic Life Cycle Assessment of a Bioeconomy Value Chain

et al. 2020

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A bioeconomy tackles sustainable development at both the global and regional levels, as it relies on the optimized use of renewable bio-based resources for the provisioning of food, materials, and energy to meet societal demands. The effects of the bioeconomy can be best observed at a regional level, as it supports regional development and affects the social dimension of sustainability. In order to assess the social impacts of wood-based production chains with regional differentiation, the social life cycle assessment framework "RESPONSA" was established in 2018. We present an initial study, in which this method is applied to an exemplary production chain in a case study of laminated veneer lumber produced in central Germany. The results show a relatively better social performance compared to the reference economic sector, reflecting a relatively low rate of female employees as a major social hotspot. Several social opportunities are identified, in terms of health and safety, equal opportunities, and adequate remuneration, for the organization taking part in the value chain. Finally, considering the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a global normative framework, a number of additional indicators for RESPONSA, as well as further developments and recommendations regarding its application in other regions and the upcoming social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) guidelines, are identified.

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Social life cycle assessment: in pursuit of a framework for assessing wood-based products from bioeconomy regions in Germany

Cited by 66 publications

References 31 publications

Social Life Cycle Approach as a Tool for Promoting the Market Uptake of Bio-Based Products from a Consumer Perspective

Social Life Cycle Approach as a Tool for Promoting the Market Uptake of Bio-Based Products from a Consumer Perspective

Transitioning towards the bio‐economy: Assessing the social dimension through a stakeholder lens

A Regional Socio-Economic Life Cycle Assessment of a Bioeconomy Value Chain

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