SLCA Provides Competitive Advantage to Manufacturers
A Sustainability Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA) gives product manufacturers a broad, strategic overview of a product’s sustainability strengthsandchallenges using The Natural Step four system conditions. The SLCA has helped four TNS partners develop new products that reduce impacts on natural and social systems:
Rohm and Haas recently introduced Advapak™ NEO products, a new range of highperforming, organic based and heavy metal-free technology stabilizers. The SLCA tool has been used to evaluate the product by TNS advisors and has resulted in important improvements in product development. This product has helped the company increase the usage of renewable raw materials and reduce energy consumption and emissions by simplifying the manufacturing process and enabling easier recycling. Advapak ™ NEO is just one outcome of Rohm and Haas engagement in a PVC value chain collaboration in Europe striving to develop sustainable PVC solutions.
Paint manufacturer AkzoNobel has used an SLCA to assess the impacts of its products and then launch projects to improve their sustainability impacts. Their Ecosure product is a totally new range of paints that has significantly lower carbon and embedded water footprints.
Chemicals specialists at Johnson Matthey have been using the SLCA to evaluate the whole lifecycle of their products, including the catalysts they make. While these products have always helped reduce car emissions, the company was keen to find ways to further improve their product line. Following a successful pilot, the tool is now being used with other products and business units.
The SLCA has further helped Unilever to identify the sustainability impacts of its laundry products, and has spurred the creation of innovative new methods of product delivery. This work helped Unilever win a large technology grant to help make their sustainable vision a reality.