Volvo Car Corporation

Founded in 1927, Volvo is a multinational vehicle manufacturer with production facilities in 25 countries, 74,000 employees, and sales in more than 100 markets. Volvo Group's sales totalled 130 billion SEK in 2000. Volvo's carmaking division was sold to Ford in 1999.

Volvo's stated aim is 'to contribute actively to the development of efficient, safe, environmentally compatible and economically competitive transport systems for goods and passenger traffic'.

To this end, life-cycle assessment (LCA) plays a central role in product development activities. Volvo says it is intensifying its 'preventive environmental activities' in order to ensure that the total environmental impact of its products is minimized.

The average Volvo vehicle has a lifespan of 19 years, and LCA means paying attention to environmentally safe recycling and disposal techniques 20 years into the future.

Volvo cars were among the first in the world to be supplied with an 'environmental product declaration' (EPD), certified by a third party. Covering all phases of the car's life cycle, the EPD is certified by Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance, and is designed to provide a more meaningful and objective description of the environmental impact of the product, from manufacture to eventual recycling.

All products must meet the continuous improvement guidelines specified in Volvo's product goal statement. An EPD is now required for all Volvo products in order to enable their environmental impacts to be compared.

The use of life-cycle assessment revealed that more than 90% of the total environmental impact of Volvo products is generated during their useful life, as distinct from manufacturing and disposal activities. A particularly significant factor is fuel consumption, and for this reason alternative fuels and power trains are a high priority for research.

Volvo has declared that 'all business areas shall have their environmental management systems certified in accordance with ISO...