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

FLIPP Emma Rex Life cycle thinking (LCT)

FLIPP Emma Rex 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) “Life cycle thinking needs to become second- nature to all those who come into contact with products" (Commission of the European Communities 2003)

FLIPP Emma Rex "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) Corporate policies “ 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)

FLIPP Emma Rex 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!

FLIPP Emma Rex How are ambitions of life cycle work, expressed in corporate environmental policies, put into practice in industry?

FLIPP Emma Rex LCT?

FLIPP Emma Rex 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

FLIPP Emma Rex 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

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

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

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

FLIPP Emma Rex Successful policy implementation? Understanding of the main concept Life Cycle Thinking?

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

FLIPP Emma Rex 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? Gap between policy statements and implementation? No ? Life cycle activities identified in all units

FLIPP Emma Rex 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

FLIPP Emma Rex 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

FLIPP Emma Rex 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

FLIPP Emma Rex 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! – employees per company –Educations already given

Thank you! Furthering Life Cycle Considerations through Integrated Product Policy Financed by the Swedish EPA FLIPP