Q&A - Life Cycle Assessment helps companies become more sustainable
Here we have collected the answers to some questions that were not all answered in our webinar on July 6th 2022 because of time constraints.
Firstly comes the list of questions addressed to Ulla Luhtasela (Nordic Sustainability Manager at Nestlé), who was talking about why LCA has become the foundation of the company’s sustainability strategy and Science-Based Targets.
Q: Why is the focus just on GHG emissions as opposed to broader LCA metrics?
A: It is absolutely true, LCA is much broader topic than just the GHG emissions. In 10 minutes time, this was just one example on how we work with LCA, and as the climate commitments are still new and strategically important for Nestlé, I decided to focus on this one topic.
Q: Were Nestlé products always safe? My friend worked as a nurse in Africa when Nestlé pushed baby formula on mothers. Their sales people dressed up as doctors and tricked the locals into not breast feeding.
A: The quality and safety of our products are non-negotiable and most important to us! You can read more about the infant formula and our way of working with these extremely sensitive product category here.
Q: Are you aiming for, or have initiatives, to meet and support planetary diet through your sales? Meaning phasing-out most of animal-based products and keeping local agriculture's strengths and weaknesses in mind.
A: We are very much looking into our recipes and total portfolio, moving towards plant based alternatives and reducing the use of meat. However, we are not planning (at least for now) to phase out all animal products from our portfolio.
Q: I would like to know what kind of controlling activity Nestlé is adopting to double check on data collected by supplier from the feedstock to the Nestlé operations.
A: Nestlé has specific requirements for the suppliers. They must fulfill the Nestlé Responsible Sourcing Standard. We verify compliance with the Standard by our direct suppliers through independent audits carried out by audit firms accredited by Nestlé.
Q: How did you come to all these NetZero goals?
A: Our NetZero goal (by 2050) is based on the Science Based Target initiative. In addition, it is supporting the EU goal to be netzero. The planned activities are based on the LCA and where we can make a difference.
Q: By certified palm oil. coffee and cocoa, what do you mean exactly? If third/party, which ones? Does that include fair wages along the value chain?
A: Here is more information about palm oil, coffee, cocoa and fair wages.
Q: How are you ensuring your decarbonization and regenerative agriculture is focused around just and inclusive practices?
A: You can find more information in our Sustainability report 2021 at page 4.
Q: From an LCA point of view the presented information focuses very much on CO2-equivalents. What about other impact-categories like water, are there any intentions to attempt and represent social aspects or other categories in line with the UN sustainability goals?
A: You can find more information in our Sustainability report 2021 at page 4.
Q: How about using as much recycled material for packing as possible? Not only making packing recyclable?
A: You can find more information in our Sustainability report 2021 at pages 8, 10, 36 and 37.
Q: How do you tackle emissions in the dairy sector? How do you influence emissions from your suppliers and contractors? Are you reforestation activities backed by certificates?
A: You can find more information in our Sustainability report 2021. For information about the emissions please check pages 22-24, 28 and 39-41. As for the reforestation activities, please check page 25.
Q: I would like to ask a more specific question regarding how do you model the data, when primary data are available. Are you following specific guidelines to model the assessment and allocation of impact category to avoid burden shifting?
A: Good question! In many places in our LCA we have used generic data, and at the moment our LCA is getting more accurate while receiving more primary data from our suppliers. As we get more accurate data, we also correct our baseline year 2018, so that our reductions are based on the same data. Some projects we run together with our suppliers, some they do independently and report to us. These we always review and evaluate case by case. We have also received the limited ensurance from EY on our tools to monitor the progress with our KPIs.
Q: While gathering data for scope 3 emissions do you require audited supplier reports?
A: You can find more information in our Sustainability report 2021 at pages 22 and 40.
Q: How is Nestlé addressing conversion of land use change and ensuring land ownership stays with indigenous communities?
A: You can find more information in our Sustainability report 2021 at pages 25 and 27.
Q: So LCA is done, Hotspots identified, then what comes next? Also, what is the cost versus environmental impact? How do you tackle that?
A: Next step might be, for example, a new packaging. As for the costs, you can find more information in our Sustainability report 2021 at pages 25, 27, 35, 36, 41 and 42.
Q: Would you say Nestlé has a positive or negative NET impact on the planet?
A: Our Net impact is discussed on the pages 25-26 of the Sustainability report 2021.
Q: Are there some standardize metrics to use against some set criterion for open access/use?
A: You can find more information about it here.
Q: How do you incentivize farms/factories within your supply chain to source renewable energy? Assuming that most will be non-EU based?
A: You can find some examples here.
Q: How do you motivate suppliers to cooperate with your carbon reduction strategy?
A: Here are some examples described.
Q: How is Nestlé ensuring communities where they extract water will not be left without drinking water?
A: You can find more information about our sustainable bottled water here.
Q: What are you doing to remove your plastic from the ocean and soil?
A: You can find more information in our Sustainability report 2021 at pages 35 and 37.
Q: Do you think/believe that today's industry and society can achieve sustainability without a social change?
A: You can read our opinion in the Sustainability report 2021 at pages 39-42.
Q: What is your opinion on using Carbon Labels in products and services?
A: You can read our opinion in the Sustainability report 2021 at page 58 and in our Climate risk and impact report 2021 at the page 7.
And then, here are some questions addressed to Dr. Gregory Norris - LCA expert teaching in Harvard and MIT, co-founder of Earthster and our academy’s teacher.
Q: I want to gain practical LCA skills, any recommendations for a free resource? I'm an undergrad student.
A: One great way is to attend Environmental Impacts Academys LCA internship program. The 2,5-months internship program is designed to kick-start your career as an LCA professional. This internship program is designed to enable participants to become confident and capable beginning practitioners of LCA. Students will specifically develop a practical familiarity with:
Life cycle inventory databases and datasets, both process-based and input/output-base
The ISO standards for Life Cycle Assessment
Earthster LCA software
Life cycle impact assessment methods, with a focus on the ReCiPe 2016 method
As an apart of the program, students will complete one or multiple real-life LCAs in a company. Read more about the program and apply here.
Other free resources are the free LCA textbook: Environmental Life Cycle Assessment, by Olivier Jolliet et al., published by CRC Press, 2016. You can download it here.
Q: Could you please explain a little bit about handprint?
A: Handprinting was actually the topic of one of our webinars. You can get the recording here. Be sure to follow Environmental Impacts Academy on LinkedIn to get notified of the upcoming webinars.
Q: What is the difference between PEF and ISO and EPD's?
A: EPD - Environmental Product Declaration, is basically the result of an LCA and it can be based on ReCiPe 2016 or on PEF. PEF - Product Environmental Footprint program follows the ISO standards and adds more specificity in 2 ways.
One is general - product environmental footprints have to have specific attributes - there is a set of 16 environmental impact categories that need to be considered. In addition there are PEF category rules for doing PEFs to support comparability among the results of PEF or EPD. The goal is that your results can be used by somebody who is trying to select a greener product within a product category.
Q: How can one assess / evaluate LCA results when boundaries set by the client may vary?
A: If you have results from studies where the boundaries are different - you can’t compare them. However, you may learn something from each study. In general, you have to be extremely careful on probably not drawing a comparison. The ISO standards provide us with the ability to exclude portion of the lifecycle if we can guarantee that they are absolutely the same between the options. Also, make sure that when you are sharing your results with someone, you make this boundary’s choice very clear, so that the future researches can make their own mind whether it is a valid comparison or not.