This study, funded by Adlerbertska Foundations, was made to understand the competences that industry and society demand and will require to be able to handle internal and external claims on life cycle information. Further, the objective was to describe the possibilities that life cycle competences provide in order for the companies to handle large complex systemic changes that will be needed to increase the company’s competitiveness whilst handling the conversions to a circular economy, energy transition and a more sustainable consumption and production system. Data has been collected via interviews, a survey, and group discussions and thereafter interpreted, translated, and clustered under headlines describing the overall theme of the data.

The conclusion from the study is that competence will be required on all levels in companies, but the level of knowledge required varies depending on function and the role. It could also be beneficial to create new official roles that guard the transition of the strategy in the company and secures compliance.

The education needs to be customised and adapted to the need of different functions and industry sectors. There is also a general need to raise the awareness of the life cycle perspective in society at large, so there should be mandatory life cycle sections in all educations. Academia, being neutral and a hub for knowledge building, is expected to continue drive the development of technology and methods to ensure the availability of competence and skills in the future.