Blockchain technology and Social Life Cycle Assessment: synergies and implications

Abstract

Abstract Purpose Social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) allows for quantifying the social aspects related to the life cycle of a product and/or organization through an integrated and holistic approach. While there have been methodological and implementation advancements over the last years, there are still several critical issues, such as concern about the quality and availability of the data used in the assessment process. Therefore, this study aims to discuss the main peculiarities of Blockchain Technology and how it could be useful for S-LCA applications. Method The characteristics of Blockchain Technology were investigated in order to understand how and whether can be a synergistic support in the implementation of S-LCA. In order to do this, the main challenges and gaps of S-LCA methodology are identified. Therefore, a literature analysis was performed to identify the characteristics of Blockchain Technology within the context of SCM, how these peculiarities already support the life cycle thinking (LCT) tools, and whether these synergies can support also S-LCA studies. Results and discussion Blockchain is considered a revolutionary tool for supporting supply chain management due to its distributed data recording and assets tracking platform, which enhances transparency and provides real-time information. The traceability offered by Blockchain can be a valuable resource for conducting LCT studies, enabling improved data differentiation and origin identification as well as the identification of technology and inputs involved in analyzed product systems. Additionally, modeling a Blockchain to incorporate social data can aid in identifying locations, and the correlated social issues, where potential social risks occur by monitoring them over time. Consequently, a set of social indicators directly linked to social data should be defined for each supply chain evaluated. Conclusions The use of Blockchain Technology within S-LCA methodology approach will help organizations toward stronger supply chain management practices by tracing sustainable information related to products. Consequently, it can provide more transparent, reliable, and verifiable information to consumers on the product’s life cycle. From a methodological perspective, Blockchain Technology can serve to collect social data along the supply chain, thereby contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the life cycle of the product. By doing so, it is possible to identify social and socio-economic risks throughout the supply chain and monitor them over time in order to be used as potential internal benchmarks. Further developments will be needed to define the integration of Blockchain Technology within the framework of S-LCA and more broadly in social organizational LCA.