Abstract
An expansion of the LCA framework has been going on through the development of ‘social life cycle assessment’—S-LCA. The methodology, still in its infancy, has the goal of assessing social impacts related to a product’s life cycle. This chapter introduces S-LCA framework area and the related challenges. It outlines the main conceptual differences between LCA and S-LCA and discusses the barriers in terms of methodological development and potential application. Three case studies are presented applying S-LCA in different contexts and using varying methods. In the light of the outlined differences, perspectives for the future development of S-LCA are discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Andrews, E., Lesage, P., Benoît, C., et al.: Life cycle attribute assessment. J. Ind. Ecol. 13, 565–578 (2009). doi:10.1111/j.1530-9290.2009.00142.x
Barrientos, S., Smith, S.: Do workers benefit from ethical trade? Assessing codes of labour practice in global production systems. Third World Q. 28, 713–729 (2007)
Benoît, C., Mazijn, B.: Guidelines for Social Life Cycle Assessment of Products. UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative, Paris (2009)
Bezuidenhout, A., Jeppesen, S.: Between the state, market and society: labour codes of conduct in the Southern African garment industry. Dev. South Afr. 28(5) (2011)
Ciroth, A., Franze, J.: LCA of an Ecolabeled Notebook, Consideration of Social and Environmental Impacts Along the Entire Life Cycle. Berlin (2011)
Dreyer, L., Hauschild, M., Schierbeck, J.: A Framework for social life cycle impact assessment (10 pp). Int. J. Life Cycle Assess. 11, 88–97 (2006). doi:10.1065/lca2005.08.223
Dreyer, L.C., Hauschild, M.Z., Schierbeck, J.: Characterisation of social impacts in LCA: Part 1: development of indicators for labour rights. Int. J. Life Cycle Assess. 15, 247–259 (2010). doi:10.1007/s11367-009-0148-7
EC-JRC: European Commission-Joint Research Centre-Institute for Environment and Sustainability: International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD) Handbook—General Guide for Life Cycle Assessment—Detailed Guidance. First edition March 2010. EUR 24708 EN. Luxembourg. Publications Office of the European Union (2010)
Franze, J., Ciroth, A.: A comparison of cut roses from Ecuador and the Netherlands. Int. J. Life Cycle Assess. 16, 366–379 (2011). doi:10.1007/s11367-011-0266-x
GRI: Global Reporting Initiative. https://www.globalreporting.org/Pages/default.aspx (2016). Accessed 29 June 2016
ILO: International Labour Organisation. http://www.ilo.org/global/lang–en/index.htm (2016). Accessed 29 June 2016
ISO: Environmental Management: Life Cycle Assessment—Principles and Framework (ISO 14040). ISO the International Organization for Standardization, Geneva (2006a)
ISO: Environmental Management: Life Cycle Assessment—Requirements and Guidelines (ISO 14044). ISO the International Organization for Standardization, Geneva (2006b)
ISO: Guidance on Social Responsibility (ISO 26000:2010). ISO the International Organization for Standardization, Geneva (2010)
Jørgensen, A., Le Bocq, A., Nazarkina, L., Hauschild, M.: Societal LCA methodologies for social life cycle assessment. Int. J. Life Cycle Assess. 13, 96–103 (2008)
Jørgensen, A., Finkbeiner, M., Jørgensen, M.S., Hauschild, M.Z.: Defining the baseline in social life cycle assessment. Int. J. Life Cycle Assess. 15, 376–384 (2010a). doi:10.1007/s11367-010-0176-3
Jørgensen, A., Lai, L.C.H., Hauschild, M.Z.: Assessing the validity of impact pathways for child labour and well-being in social life cycle assessment. Int. J. Life Cycle Assess. 15, 5–16 (2010b). doi:10.1007/s11367-009-0131-3
Jørgensen, A., Dreyer, L.C., Wangel, A.: Addressing the effect of social life cycle assessments. Int. J. LCA 17(6), 828–839 (2012)
Kruse, S., Flysjö, A., Kasperczyk, N., Scholz, A.J.: Socioeconomic indicators as a complement to life cycle assessment: an application to salmon production systems. Int. J. Life Cycle Assess. 14, 8–18 (2009). doi:10.1007/s11367-008-0040-x
Montero, D.: Nike’s dilemma: is doing the right thing wrong? Christ. Sci. Monit. (2006)
Norris, G.A.: Special issue honouring Helias A. Udo de Haes: broadening the scope of LCA social impacts in product life cycles towards life cycle attribute assessment. Int. J. Life Cycle Assess. 1, 97–104 (2006). doi:10.1065/lca2006.04.017
SHDB: Social Hotspot Database. http://socialhotspot.org/ (2016). Accessed 29 June 2016
Spillemaeckers, S., Vanhoutte, G., Taverniers, L., et al.: Integrated product assessment—the development of the label “sustainable development” for products ecological, social and economical aspects of integrated product policy (2004)
UN: United Nations Global Compact Sustainable Supply Chains. http://supply-chain.unglobalcompact.org/site/index (2010). Accessed 20 Dec 2015
UNDP: Sustainable Development Goals. http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/corporate/sustainable-development-goals-booklet.html (2015)
WCED: World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future. Oxford University Press, Oxford (1987)
Weidema, B.P.: The integration of economic and social aspects in life cycle impact assessment. Int. J. Life Cycle Assess. 11, 89–96 (2006). doi:10.1065/lca2006.04.016
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Moltesen, A., Bonou, A., Wangel, A., Bozhilova-Kisheva, K.P. (2018). Social Life Cycle Assessment: An Introduction. In: Hauschild, M., Rosenbaum, R., Olsen, S. (eds) Life Cycle Assessment. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56475-3_16
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56475-3_16
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-56474-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-56475-3
eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)