Furthering Life Cycle Considerations through Integrated Product Policy

1. Interpretations of corporate environmental policy: Challenges for environmental communication and action Emma Rex and Henrikke Baumann Environmental Systems Analysis, Chalmers University of Technology FLIPP Furthering Life Cycle Considerations through Integrated Product Policy

2. Life cycle thinking (LCT)

3. Public policy “Life cycle thinking needs to become second-nature to all those who come into contact with products" (Commission of the European Communities 2003)

4. Corporate policies "Successful business requires a solid product life cycle-based environmental performance" (Nokia 2005) "We are committed to reducing the environmental load in all stages throughout the entire life cycle of products and services, recognizing that responsibility for a product rests with its manufacture" (Konica Minolta 2003) “SCA assesses the environmental impact of its products during their various life stages and includes suppliers and subcontractors in this process” (SCA 2006) “The concept of product life cycle guides our environmental activities and provides the framework for our efforts.” (Stora Enso 2005)

5. Role of policy: literature ”The backbone and skeletal framework from which all other environmental components are hung…” - A basis for setting objectives and targets - Informing employees of their responsibilities … - … and guide their actions Gap between policy statements and implementation!

6. How are ambitions of life cycle work, expressed in corporate environmental policies, put into practice in industry?

7. LCT?

8. Method • Stora Enso and SCA: both with expressions of the life cycle in their environmental policies • 17 semi-structured interviews in various operative units: • Environmental managers and engineers • Purchasing managers • Researach- and product developers • Market and sales-managers • Life cycle activities done • Role of the environmental policy

9. Role of the policy - Managers’ view • Express an ambition • Not for goals and objectives – yet. At least not at corporate level • Employees probably don’t know what’s in the policy… • Signal the importance of having a life cycle perspective

10. Research Sales and marketing Prod. Dvl. Sourcing Successful policy implementation?- Life cycle activities done More efficient materials Material reduction Transport solutions Supplier evaluation Life cycle based market information

11. Sales and marketing Prod. Dvl. Sourcing Successful policy implementation?- Role of the environmental policy What does that mean? Hm… They probably mean downstream It is a too high and strategic level It must be aimed for product development!

12. Prod. Dvl. Successful policy implementation?Understanding of the main concept Any LCT in my work? No I work with source reduction! Material reduction Transport solutions

13. Successful policy implementation?Understanding of the main concept Life Cycle Thinking?

14. Research Sales and marketing Prod. Dvl. Sourcing More efficient materials Material reduction Transport solutions Supplier evaluation Life cycle based market information

15. Successful policy implementation? • ”The backbone and skeletal framework from which all other environmental components are hung… • - A basis for setting objectives and targets? • Informing employees of their responsibilities? • - … and guide their actions? No No No Gap between policy statements and implementation? ?Life cycle activities identified in all units

16. Failure to connect to policy • Lack of knowledge of policy content • It must be aimed for someone else! • Limited and divergent understanings of the life cycle concept within and across departments • No objectives and targets linked to LCT

17. Failure to connect to policy • No responsibility taken in operative units • No guide for actions and every-day work • Difficulities in communication within and across departments • Employees cannot contribute to the corporate ambition • Lack of objectives: barrier to prioritize environmental measures

18. Multiple translations necessary • Awareness and understaning of the life cycle concept • Translation of what this concept mean in the every day work of each unit • Communication across departments

19. Message to take home • Do not assume an intuitive understanding of life cycle thinking or the concept of product life cycle! • Our level of ambition for LCT? • Who should do the translation into every day work? • How much communication is nescessary within and across departments? • A communicative and educative challenge! • 40 000 employees per company • Educations already given

20. Thank you! Emma.Rex@Chalmers.Se FLIPP Furthering Life Cycle Considerations through Integrated Product Policy Financed by the Swedish EPA