Life Cycle Management - Task Force 4: Management and stakeholder engagement along the life cycle

Aims

Management along the life cycle is to approach and apply Life Cycle Thinking from the management system point of view i.e. using 14001 and 14004 but also other standards if appropriate e.g. ISO 14031 on indicators together with GRI indicators (for environmental reporting!) which are presently being discussed in conjunction with Global Compact, can be seen as check lists of potential environmental and other sustainability aspects to be included in a life cycle oriented management system (sometimes referred as Product-Oriented Environmental Management System); and from the life cycle perspective especially EMAS II with the unique (in many ways) list of indirect aspects should also be included. Another approach for the TF 3 will be the integrated management systems approach combining quality, environment, OHS, social accountability and other issues in the same management system and also integrated with the business and strategy circles of the organization.

Motivation

In particular for the private sector, management systems and business processes are key elements to achieve business goals, objectives and targets. Integrating environmental aspects together with elements of quality or more recently social issues has successfully been guided by implementation of international or national standards for environmental and quality management systems, such as ISO 14000 and ISO 9001, in many industries. In Europe, similarly EMAS is playing a key role and especially by adding indisputable legal compliance, employee involvement and public outreach by the verified environmental statement.

Presently, the number of industries using certified environmental management is below 1% and the application of the standards (e.g. ISO 14001 and EMAS) do not exceed 5% of the industries. Using a life cycle approach and integrating product-oriented management might turn out to be a framework to related and motivate more companies and other organizations in product and value chains to embrace environmental and other sustainability aspects.

Work program and work process

The task force will become effective end 2003 at inaugural stage, at least in an inaugural state. Additional members will be added over time. The term of the task force is foreseen to be active for two years. Depending on user needs, the term may be extended. The first major work package is the development of a respective input into the LCM Handbook.

Further on the task force will look into the following:
- Organization and moderation support for a workshop to be held in the second or thirs quarter 2004.
- Planning of a further workshop needs
- Development of a report on the state of the art

The task force will close link its activities with the leadership of the LCM program and align its activities with the other task forces. The leadership of the task force will represent the theme in a LCM program steering committee.