How to work collectively to enhance communication of product chain information?
A workshop on this topic was held on 28 – 29 April 2009 in Wuppertal. Participants including major retailers and manufacturers discussed how to improve and facilitate communication of product life cycle information. The participants shared information on life cycle approaches and identified strategies to foster sustainable production and consumption patterns.
The workshop lasted one and a half days. On the first day the focus was on understanding the opportunities behind the life cycle thinking in the retail sector. One of the highlights during the first day was a UNEP/SETAC briefing on LCI, outlining the state-of-the-art of Life Cycle Assessment tools. A second highlight was a presentation in which the CSCP reported about the main strategy areas for SCP. Six different business strategies for sustainable consumption and production illustrated the practical relevance. In a role play exercise participants identified collective challenges from the retailers’ perspective on the one, and consumers on the other hand.
The second day was dedicated to collating retailers' and manufacturers' perspectives. There were more than ten different interventions with many examples and insights into the current state of life cycle management efforts. These presentations opened the doors for an exciting discussion about the challenges of effective communication of product chain information both within the supply chain and to consumers. Retailers' and manufacturers' own experiences and individual perspectives were put on cards and organized in the form of a mindmap on the board. The workshop was completed with an outlook on future forms of partnership and their possible contribution to an enhanced communication along the value chain.
The full report is avaiable here. For more information, please refer to the agenda and presentations below.
Agenda
28 April 2009, TuesdayLife cycle thinking in the retailer sector – Concept, tools and latest methodological developments | |||||||||||||
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14:20-14:40 |
Introduction to UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative and its current activities by Sonia Valdivia, UNEP DTIE and Secretariat of UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative | ||||||||||||
14:40-15:00 |
Strategies and Collective Actions Towards Sustainable Consumption and Production by Burcu Tuncer, CSCP | ||||||||||||
15:15–17:00 |
Identifying collective challenges behind understanding and communicating information on “sustainable products” from the perspective of manufacturer/retailer companies, on the one hand, and consumers, on the other hand. Download the introduction to the role play Download the results of the role play
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29 April 2009, Wednesday | |||
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Welcome & setting the stage | |||
09:15-09:30 |
Welcome Statement to the Workshop:
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09:30-10:15 | Life cycle management tools as facilitators of partnerships between retailer and supplier companies – contribution from recent research
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Collating retailer and manufacturing companies' perspectives on effective communication of environmental product information within chains and to consumers | |||
10:30-11:30 |
Collating experiences and expectations with respect to communicating life cycle information within supply chains
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11:30-12:30 |
Collating experiences and expectations with respect to communicating the “sustainable product” message to consumers
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Which partnerships can foster effective communication of "sustainable product" message to consumers? | |||
13:30-13:50 |
Financial sector perspective: Need for more transparency and common principles for sustainable products and sustainable lifestyles, by Dr. Regina Schwegler, senior sustainability analyst, INrate AG for sustainable investments, the largest independent sustainability rating agency in Switzerland | ||
13:50-14:10 |
Consumer associations’ perspective: Consumer trends and consumer response to product chain information by Justin McMullan, Head of Campaigns, Consumers International | ||
14:10-15:50 |
WBCSD Framework for more sustainable products towards sustainable consumption by Cheryl Hicks, Consumers and Consumption Work Stream, WBCSD | ||
14:20-15:50 |
World Café discussion on partnerships Download the introduction to the world café The results of the word café will come soon | ||
16:00-17:00 | Summing-up and the way ahead | ||