case study
Empowering investors to enhance the sustainability metrics through an LCA exercise
Peter-Jan Roose
A sustainability-focused Article 9 investment fund turned to BrightWolves to conduct a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for one of its portfolio companies. The goal? Quantify the environmental impact of a new product, benchmark it against competitors, and provide credible data to support investor discussions. As the company scaled its production, the LCA also served as a tool to identify process improvements, and needed to be adaptable for future updates.
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Challenge
Conducting a full LCA required mapping every step of the production process, including secondary outputs like water discharge and air emissions. However, data collection was a major hurdle. The company lacked standardised systems, and gathering data across production sites was manual and time-consuming—raising risks of inconsistency. Beyond producing a one-time report, the company also needed a dynamic, easy-to-use tool to update results internally as operations evolved.
The LCA exercise was extremely useful in identifying the hotspots in our processes and making the right changes as we scale production. We love the tool—it’s easy to use and gives us full control.
Approach
We delivered a three-part solution tailored to both current and future needs:
1. Structured process mapping and data collection
We created a standardised data template to capture inputs (ingredients, utilities) across each process step. This ensured consistent data quality and laid the foundation for robust LCA modelling.
2. Custom Excel-based LCA tool
Using the collected data, we built a user-friendly tool in Excel. Designed for non-experts, it included clear assumptions and allowed the client to visualise environmental impact by process step—highlighting where emissions and resource usage were concentrated.
3. Presentation and benchmarking analysis
We presented the results and identified environmental hotspots—particularly in chemical and water usage—while offering targeted recommendations for improvement. We also benchmarked the product’s footprint against competitors to support strategic positioning.
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Impact
The LCA revealed critical impact drivers during the pilot phase, enabling the company to take informed steps—like reassessing fertiliser use and improving water efficiency. With the Excel-based tool, the client can now update their impact model as they expand, maintaining transparency with investors and staying competitive in the sustainable food market.
Summary
Conducted full LCA to assess product’s environmental impact
Identified chemical and water usage as key improvement areas
Developed a flexible, user-friendly Excel tool for ongoing updates
Supported internal investor reporting and market benchmarking
Empowered the company to scale operations with sustainability in focus