Benchmarking

Mauro Cordella

Chapter 4 in Elgar Encyclopedia of Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment, 2026, pp 12-13 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Benchmarking is a process for comparing the performance of processes, products, or systems against a defined reference state. It plays a critical role in Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) by enabling the evaluation of alternatives. Benchmarking can be categorized as internal (e.g. comparing the new design of a product made by a company with the older design) or external (e.g. comparing different products against a reference product on the market). It relies on life cycle inventory and impact assessment data and may involve normalization and weighting steps. Benchmarking supports sustainability performance assessments, the identification of trade-offs and improvement areas, and the communication of results to stakeholders. To effectively inform decision-making processes, it is fundamental to select relevant benchmarks, to collect accurate data, to engage with key stakeholders, and to transparently report results and methodological assumptions made.

Keywords: Benchmarking; Comparison; Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment; Sustainability; Normalization; Weighting; Decision-making (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035309887
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