SOCIAL ASPECTS IN LIFE CYCLE MANAGEMENT

Abstract

The paper looks into the social aspects of life cycle management (LCM) in relation to sustainable development. Sustainable development is regarded as a comprehensive set of strategies enabling the satisfaction of social, material and spiritual needs of people through economic tools and technology while respecting environmental limits. To make this possible in the global scale of the contemporary world, it is necessary to re-define their social and political institutions and processes at the local, regional and global level. Sustainable development is unthinkable not only without the balance in the environmental respect; the balance in the social and economic areas is of equal importance. Social responsibility can be viewed as a parallel to a philosophy in which businesses are committed to sustainable development. Promoting social responsibility within the business can influence activities in the product life cycle. Social aspects, such as safe workplaces or organisations protecting the rights of workers are becoming prominent with increasing frequency as modern requirements. The aim of the paper is to describe and introduce management tools and systems, if they exist, that enable a successful life cycle management with a focus on social aspects. Key issues in relation to LCM will be: Which social elements can be included in LCM? Which aspects are to be included in the social “pillar“ of sustainable development? etc. The result should be an adequate approach integrating the social, environmental and economic aspects in LCM.