Page 58 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

References 53
3.3.2 Social life cycle inventory analysis
The life cycle inventory phase can be conducted performing the following actions:
collecting data on unit processes and redefining the selected system boundaries if needed.
Data to be collected may be primary or secondary data and data for characterization. Primary
data sources can be audits of enterprise documentation and documentation of authorities,
making use of participative methodologies, interviews, focus groups, questionnaires, and
surveys (UNEP/SETAC, 2009; Arcese et al., 2013; Trevisani Juchen et al., 2018). Secondary
data sources can be scientific literature, web search, and databases. Collected data and func-
tional unit have to be related and aggregated when applicable (UNEP/SETAC, 2009). Col-
lected data should meet a list of quality criteria, such as validity—data have to provide
information on what is intended to be measured; relevance; completeness—data have to
cover the needs of the study; and accessibility—data collection has to be well documented.
Then, uncertainty analyses should be performed and the measurement methods to generate
the data have to be analyzed in order to define if they are appropriate (UNEP/SETAC, 2009).

3.3.3 Social life cycle impact assessment
This is the third phase of an S-LCA. Its purpose is to aggregate inventory data within cat-
egories and subcategories and to make use of additional information to help in understanding
the significance of the collected information (UNEP/SETAC, 2009). This phase can be
conducted through some actions: selection of the impact categories, subcategories, and char-
acterization models, classification, namely associating inventory data with categories and
subcategories, and characterization, namely calculating the impacts for the subcategories
indicators (UNEP/SETAC, 2009). Unlike in LCA, where impacts are mostly negative, social
impacts can also be positive (Sala et al., 2015). Indicators for S-LCA can be quantitative or
qualitative depending on the goal of the study (UNEP/SETAC, 2009). Contrary to LCA,
where impacts are calculated through a multiplication between the inventory data and a char-
acterization factor recognized by international scientific community, S-LCA can express the
impacts through a scoring system, providing as estimation of the impact (UNEP/
SETAC, 2009).

3.3.4 Social life cycle interpretation
During this phase, the significant issues are identified and consideration about complete-
ness and consistency of the study are drawn. Finally, the level of engagement with stake-
holders is evaluated; conclusions and recommendations are reported (UNEP/SETAC, 2009).

References
Arcese, G., Lucchetti, M.C., Merli, R., 2013. Social life cycle assessment as a management tool: methodology for
application in tourism. Sustainability 5, 3275–3287.
Ardente, F., Cellura, M., 2012. Economic allocation in life cycle assessment. The state of the art and discussion of
examples. J. Ind. Ecol. 16, 387–398.