Workshop 09: The Business Case for Life Cycle Assessment: Quantifying Return on Investment

Main Presenter: Barbara Nebel

Co-Authors:

Workshop Format: Group discussion; Break-out groups

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is often seen as a technical sustainability tool. In reality, when used well, it is a powerful business decision-support instrument that speaks directly to revenue growth, cost reduction, brand value, and risk management.
This highly practical, hands-on workshop reframes LCA in commercial terms that resonate with senior leaders, finance teams, and CFOs. Participants will work through real-world examples to quantify the return on investment from LCA across four critical business value areas:
→ Increase revenue by accessing new markets, meeting customer requirements, and protecting market share.
→ Reduce costs by identifying inefficiencies, waste, and circular economy opportunities across the value chain.
→ Grow brand value by strengthening credibility with investors, customers, and prospective employees.
→ Minimise risk by backing claims with robust data, avoiding compliance penalties, and understanding supply chain exposures.
Rather than focusing on environmental metrics in isolation, the workshop translates LCA insights into clear financial and strategic outcomes. Participants will actively work through how to frame LCA results as commercial evidence, calculate value creation, and articulate trade-offs in a way that supports investment decisions.
By the end of the session, participants will be equipped to confidently engage decision-makers in their organisation, including CFOs and executive teams, using their language. They will leave with practical tools and talking points to position LCA not as a compliance exercise, but as a strategic investment that delivers measurable business value.

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