Sustainability, Vol. 17, Pages 3521: Development of a Global Framework for an Integrated Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Model in Quality, Safety and Environmental (QSE) Management Systems: Improving Environmental, Social and Economic Sustainability Performance

Sustainability doi: 10.3390/su17083521

Authors:
Zineb El Haouat
Safaa Essalih
Fatima Bennouna
Driss Amegouz

A framework to include life cycle assessment (LCA) in the importance assessment of quality, safety and environmental (QSE) aspects of a management system has been studied to improve the sustainable development performance in the environmental, social and economic dimensions. But there is a literature gap where impact assessment is a critical factor. This research follows a mixed-methods approach, including a survey of 127 Moroccan companies to assess the adoption and impact of LCA integration. The survey’s findings show that 40% of companies have integrated LCA through significant advances in operational quality, regulatory compliance and sustainability performance. The findings also demonstrate how integration has enhanced long-term strategic decision-making, process optimization and environmental impact assessment. The proposed model aligns the requirements of sustainable LCA standards (ISO 14040/44, ISO 26000 and ISO 15686-5) with certifiable standards (ISO 14001, ISO 9001 and ISO 45001), addresses the opportunities and limitations of organizations during integration, and includes indicators for sustainability analysis. The study highlights how implementing LCA in QSE management creates a systematic approach to sustainability, particularly in terms of employee training, regular performance monitoring and regulatory compliance. In light of changing laws and industry norms, these findings provide a means for sectors to enhance their sustainability performance.

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Zineb El Haouat www.mdpi.com