Approach for assessing environmental handprints

Abstract

The need to reveal positive environmental consequences of offerings has risen as urgent climate actions are needed from companies. The environmental handprint approach was developed to indicate the positive environmental impacts of a solution offered to a client. The environmental handprint approach builds upon the previously published carbon handprint approach. The approach follows the guidelines of ISO standards on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) but complements them with instructions for calculating positive environmental impacts. The environmental handprint framework allows consideration of several different environmental impacts including climate impacts, air quality, and utilization of nutrients, water and resources, and it can be applied to products, services, organisations and projects. The framework consists of four main stages: 1. Handprint requirements, 2. Additional LCA requirements, 3. Quantification, 4. Communication. The handprint approach provides an important addition to life cycle studies. Handprints can be used by organizations to communicate the environmental benefits of their products, services, and technologies. They also serve as an aid to identify improvement potential throughout the life cycle of an offering, thus supporting product development and decision making. Case studies supported the methodology development. A case related to water handprint in water treatment in the mining industry is presented in this paper.