Approach to Product Life Cycle Assessments

This document is a guide detailing Boston Scientific's approach to conducting product life cycle assessments (LCAs). It outlines the company's commitment to minimizing environmental impact throughout the entire life cycle of its products, from design and sourcing to manufacturing and distribution. The guide explains the systematic analysis involved in LCAs, including the assessment of greenhouse gas emissions, waste emissions, and water consumption. It describes how Boston Scientific integrates sustainability best practices and technology into its LCA process, which follows ISO standards 14040 and 14044 for consistency. The document also highlights the company's collaboration with various organizations to enhance LCA adoption and transparency. Additionally, it presents insights gained from pilot LCAs on specific products, emphasizing the importance of materials, energy use, and packaging design in reducing environmental footprints. The guide concludes with a discussion on the limitations of LCAs and the importance of embedding these assessments in product development to achieve sustainability goals.