Collaborative Framework for Life Cycle Sustainability & Circularity Assessment and Advisory: An Automotive Electronics use Case

The increasing focus on sustainability and circularity in the automotive and electronics industries necessitates practical and adaptable methodologies for assessing product life cycles. This paper presents a scalable framework for Life Cycle Sustainability and Circularity Assessment (LCS&CA) that emphasizes accessibility and collaboration. Designed to address the challenges of limited organizational resources (e.g., time, skills, personnel) and stakeholder alignment, the methodology integrates collecting data tables, user stories, and workshops to define system boundaries, select indicators, and customize assessments to specific use cases. The framework supports a multi-dimensional assessment approach, covering environmental, economic, social, and circularity aspects. Practical tools, such as templates for tables and structured stakeholder workshops, ensure the methodology is easy to implement and adaptable to various contexts. Applications to automotive (e.g., electronic device for automotive and electronics (e.g., printed circuit boards) use cases demonstrate its versatility and effectiveness. Key results highlight the implementation of the framework and some spaces for improvement, enhanced circularity metrics such as repairability scores, and actionable insights for eco-design. This study emphasizes a collaborative approach, engaging stakeholders across the product life cycle to align on sustainability goals and priorities. By focusing on replicable tools and methods, the framework enables industries to make informed decisions without requiring advanced technological infrastructure, positioning it as an accessible solution for enterprises or organizations in the early stages of sustainability integration. The proposed framework bridges the gap between theoretical sustainability goals and practical implementation, offering a foundation for future advancements in LCS&CA. While this study highlights applications in the automotive and electronics sectors, the methodology is adaptable to other industries, providing a roadmap for companies seeking to improve sustainability and circularity in product development.