Our CEO, Barbara Nebel, recently attended the 12th International Conference on Life Cycle Management (LCM 2025) – one of the world’s leading forums for environmental, economic, and social sustainability.
In this blog, Barbara shares her reflections on how Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is shaping credible sustainability and circular economy action – and why the momentum at LCM 2025 left her inspired and energised.
It has been nearly a month, and I am still buzzing and thinking about the highlights of LCM 2025. More than 1,000 people came together in Palermo – researchers, policymakers, and, importantly, many from industry. It was clear that LCA is no longer niche. It has become a cornerstone of how we understand and improve environmental performance across the full range of impacts – not just carbon, but also water, waste, biodiversity, and resource use.
Across four days, we explored how LCA is driving the circular economy, helping businesses design for durability, reuse, and recycling, and ensuring that environmental trade-offs are understood and managed.
Some key messages stood out:
→ Policy meets practice: LCA is now embedded in regulation and business decision-making.
→ Beyond carbon: robust assessment across multiple impact categories is essential for credible sustainability action.
→ Circular thinking: life cycle approaches guide more sustainable materials, products, and systems.
→ Data is the new gold: quality, accessibility, and harmonisation remain key to meaningful results.
→ AI and automation: technology can accelerate processes, but expert insight still makes the difference.
→ Communication matters: translating complex science into practical action is vital to make LCA accessible.
The week also brought cause for celebration. At the EPD Stakeholder Day, EPD Australasia received the EPD International Licensee Award – a fantastic recognition of a true trans-Tasman collaboration. With more than 3,500 Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) now published, it is a milestone for everyone involved – from the technical advisory group and verifiers to the industries embracing transparency.
For me personally, this moment was particularly special. The EPD Australasia journey began with an idea over breakfast with the then-President of Australian Life Cycle Assessment Society (ALCAS) more than ten years ago, when I was LCANZ President. Seeing how far the community has come since then – and how strongly LCA now shapes sustainability action – makes me incredibly proud.