Integrating Cradle to Cradle and Life Cycle Assessment for product sustainability: Case study insights from International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. and DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences merger process
Author
Mejia Echeverria, Daniela
Term
4. Term
Publication year
2021
Submitted on
2021-06-04
Pages
81
Abstract
Many companies prioritize sustainability, but there is limited guidance on how to handle it during mergers and acquisitions. This case study examines the recent combination of International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) and DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences from a corporate sustainability perspective. It focuses on two product sustainability approaches brought together in the merger: Cradle to Cradle (C2C), a design and certification approach that promotes safe materials and circular use, and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), a method for measuring environmental impacts across a product’s life cycle from raw materials to disposal. The aim was to explore how C2C and LCA can be used together to promote product sustainability among stakeholders in the combined company, which continues to operate under the IFF name. The research included a comprehensive literature review and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, followed by qualitative content analysis. The case identified opportunities to broaden sustainability assessments and to highlight additional sustainability attributes in IFF’s products. It also found challenges, including a diverse product portfolio and technical issues such as incompatible metrics. Overall, the findings suggest that C2C and LCA complement each other and provide a more complete view of product sustainability. Based on this, the thesis proposes an integrated C2C-LCA framework as a first step to drive and communicate product sustainability in the combined company. Future work should tailor the framework to the circumstances of each IFF business unit and apply it to specific products according to market demands.
Mange virksomheder prioriterer bæredygtighed, men der findes kun lidt vejledning til, hvordan man håndterer det ved fusioner og opkøb. Dette casestudie undersøger den nylige sammenslutning mellem International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) og DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences med fokus på virksomhedens bæredygtighed. Studiet ser især på to tilgange til produkters bæredygtighed, der blev bragt sammen i processen: Cradle to Cradle (C2C), en design- og certificeringstilgang, der fremmer sikre materialer og cirkulær brug, og Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), en metode til at måle miljøpåvirkninger gennem hele produktets livscyklus fra råvarer til bortskaffelse. Formålet var at undersøge, hvordan C2C og LCA kan bruges i samspil for at fremme produkters bæredygtighed blandt interessenter i den sammenlagte virksomhed, som fortsat opererer under navnet IFF. Metoden omfattede et omfattende litteraturreview og semistrukturerede interviews med nøgleinteressenter, efterfulgt af kvalitativ indholdsanalyse. Casen pegede på muligheder for at udvide bæredygtighedsvurderinger og synliggøre flere bæredygtighedsparametre i IFF’s produkter. Samtidig blev der identificeret udfordringer, bl.a. en mangfoldig produktportefølje og tekniske forskelle som uforenelige målemetrikker. Overordnet tyder resultaterne på, at C2C og LCA kan supplere hinanden og give et mere helhedsorienteret billede af produkters bæredygtighed. Derfor foreslås en integreret C2C-LCA-ramme som et første skridt til at drive og kommunikere produkters bæredygtighed i den sammenlagte virksomhed. Fremadrettet bør rammen tilpasses de enkelte IFF-forretningsenheder og anvendes på specifikke produkter i takt med markedsbehov.
[This apstract has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]
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