Inclusion of Social Aspects in Life Cycle Assessment of Products: Development of a Methodology for Social Life Cycle Assessment

This Industrial PhD thesis presents the development of a social life cycle assessment (LCA) method for application in life cycle management in companies. The method aims to facilitate companies to conduct business in a socially responsible manner by enabling decisions on the basis of knowledge about their direct and indirect social impacts throughout the life cycle of their products. The developed methodology of Social LCA consists of (1) a framework for Social LCA (2) a method to perform quantitative Social LCA (phases, steps and activities), and (3) methods and principles to develop underlying modelling of social impacts. Concrete models for inclusion of four impact categories representing fundamental labour rights violations are developed and tested in six case studies. The results of the case studies are used to evaluate the Social LCA method and the specific models for labour rights impacts.