Product Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the EU Ecodesign Regulation for Sustainable Products

On March 26, 2025, the KPMG ESG & Sustainability Consulting team hosted an insightful webinar focused on the environmental footprint of everyday products and the latest sustainable regulatory frameworks shaping product development in the EU.

Key Highlights from the Webinar

Understanding Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

The first segment of the webinar provided an in-depth exploration of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), a critical methodology used to evaluate the environmental impacts of products throughout their entire lifecycle—from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal. Experts Nina Mihajlović and Marijana Marjanović illustrated:

• The difference between emissions at the organizational level versus the product level.
• The essential steps involved in conducting an LCA, aligned with international LCA standards.
• The process of creating Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), which transparently communicate product environmental data.
• Practical aspects of calculating product carbon footprints and leveraging these insights to reduce emissions.

The EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation

The second part of the session introduced the new EU Ecodesign Regulation for Sustainable Products:

• This regulation aims to drive sustainable production by setting environmental performance requirements across product lifecycles.
• One of the key innovations highlighted was the digital product passport, a tool designed to enhance transparency, traceability, and enable circular economy principles in supply chains.
• The regulation’s significance is underscored by its increasing impact on manufacturers within and beyond the EU, including domestic companies adapting to these stringent standards.

Relevance and Industry Impact

The enthusiastic participation and engagement underscored the growing importance of sustainability compliance in product design and manufacturing processes. With tighter EU legislation on the horizon, companies are motivated to incorporate LCA and digital solutions to meet regulatory demands and foster sustainable business models.

Conclusion

This webinar concluded the first series of KPMG’s online ESG seminars, marking a milestone in educating stakeholders about sustainable product management and regulatory adherence in the EU market.

About the Presenters:
Nina Mihajlović is a Senior Manager in ESG & Sustainability Consulting at KPMG Serbia and Montenegro, specializing in sustainable product strategy and regulatory compliance.

For businesses committed to sustainability, understanding LCA and the implications of the EU Ecodesign Regulation is crucial to reducing environmental footprints and maintaining competitiveness in evolving markets.

Design Delight Studio curates high-impact, authoritative insights into sustainable and organic product trends, helping conscious consumers and innovative brands stay ahead in a fast-evolving green economy.