About Swedish life Cycle Center

Founded in 1996 and hosted by Chalmers University of Technology, the Swedish Life Cycle Center is a center of excellence and collaboration platform for academia, research institutes, industry and government agencies. It fosters competence-building and knowledge exchange in advancing and applying the life cycle field. With its multidisciplinary methodology and collaboration between researchers, practitioners and decision-makers, the Center is a recognized player in the field. By bringing together Swedish life cycle competence and front-running companies, it has been instrumental in developing and adopting life cycle approaches within Swedish society and making important contributions to international initiatives.

The Center’s vision is “credible and applied life cycle thinking globally” and the mission is to work for the integration of the life cycle perspective into processes and decision-making in industry, government policy and other parts of society. It is a partner-driven collaboration, with the partners setting the agenda and managing all the activities. Today, the Center consists of a network of some 500 people (between the various partners) involved in research projects, working groups (for learning) and expert groups (for impact and influence), training (professionals and higher education) and in networking and communication activities (internal conferences, webinars etc.).

“Swedish Life Cycle Center has been instrumental for the development and
adoption of the life cycle perspective in Swedish companies and
has made important contributions to international standardization
in the life cycle field.”

Professor Emerita Anne-Marie Tillman, one of the founders of the Center

Our mission

Our mission is to work for the integration of the life cycle perspective into processes and decision making in industry, government policy and other parts of society. The increased application of the life cycle perspective leads to increasedresource efficiency that enhances sustainable production and consumption patterns, new innovations, and a sustainable circular economy. The life cycle perspective opens possibilities of working towards our common sustainability challenges and sustainable development goals.

How we work

No matter what activities we perform the foundation is:

Relevant & scientifically based methods, practices & tools
Support the competence & knowledge building
Influence national & international initiatives

Operational plan, 2022-2024

Research strategy, 2022-2024

Long lasting commitment

The Center has a history of more than 25 years and has become a credible, well known platform for life cycle professionals in Sweden. It was founded as Competence Centre for Environmental Assessment of Product and Material Systems, CPM, in 1996 as a joint effort between Nutek (later VINNOVA), Chalmers University of Technology and a range of international companies. Curious in the development of life cycle assessment throughout these years, see the video lecture: Thirty years of life cycles.

A stronger platform to engage actors to implement life cycle thinking

Swedish Energy Agency finances the project Innovation cluster for the life cycle perspective which is run by Swedish Life Cycle Center. Through this project we can realize a lot of activities like webinars, conferences, working group meetings and much more.

Our history

Over the years the center has concluded nine stages with different focus areas and partner constellations but the focus on applied life cycle thinking has remained as its base.

Read our history

A greater impact together

The multidisciplinary and transparent way of working have large impact. The affect is a mutual learning process among partners; A joint effort that can make an impact globally. On top of that our partners get in touch with front runners in the life cycle field among government agencies, research and industry and get credibility as an organization with commitments for sustainability .

Download information sheet

Chalmers University of Technology is host

Swedish Life Cycle Center has since the start in 1996 been a Center of Excellence and arena hosted by Chalmers University of Technology. Host department is Technology Management and Economics (TME) and the host area of advance is Production.

More about us

The partnership

At the Swedish Life Cycle Center, we promote collaboration through various means. This includes hosting a dialogue group with nine government agencies in Sweden, forming formal partnerships with small and medium-sized companies, and building global alliances with other life cycle organizations. Our flexible platform empowers partners to align our resources with their specific objectives and aspirations. To learn more about the opportunities we provide, visit our partner page here.

The Life Cycle Perspective – The art of making good, long-term and sustainable decisions

The films give insight into the different uses of the life cycle perspective and life cycle assessment in partner organisations, and how collaboration is the key when moving forward.

Inspiring examples

In this completed research project good examples from the entire value chain were gathered. Read about how Volvo Cars, Oatley, Trafikverket and 5 other organizations work with the value chain for a sustainable development.

Read the publication

Explore our ongoing projects

Our projects are invaluable cross roads for interaction between researchers and practitioners. Our so called projects can be expert groups, working groups, research projects and our specific collaboration groups for academia and government agencies.

See all projects

The life cycle perspective as driving force for continued partnership

– It is incredibly important to have a holistic view when working with sustainability. The life cycle perspective is therefore crucial for achieving our sustainability goals as a society, organization or company, says Lars Mårtensson, Chairman of the Swedish Life Cycle Center Board (2017-2022) and Director environment and innovation at Volvo Trucks.

This is a value-adding partnership

• Obtain tools and inspiration for new strategies and working processes to implement in your operations.

• Set the research agenda for joint efforts.

• Collaborate in joint research projects with academia, research institutes and partners in industry and authorities involved.

• Capacity building through close contact with other experts within the life cycle field.

• Obtain access to high quality decision support and a network of almost 500 life cycle professionals.

• Find new ways to manage long-term sustainability.

• Make a larger impact through joint efforts to influence national and international initiatives.

• Benchmark the partners within the center.

• Be highlighted as a frontrunner in sustainability. Your good examples, research and other initiatives are communicated by Swedish Life Cycle Center.

• Access to web forum for close contact with partners and regular updates.