On November 13–14, 2024, the Environmental Campus Birkenfeld hosted the second general project meeting of the EU-funded LCA-Care initiative, a project dedicated to supporting SMEs in the agri-food sector in reducing emissions, minimizing waste, and achieving sustainability through life cycle assessment (LCA) and eco-labeling.
The meeting brought together 27 participants from partner organizations across Spain, Portugal, Lithuania, Bulgaria, and Germany. Coordinated by Carlos Cabeleira from ISEC (Portugal) and facilitated by Jackeline Martínez, Navoda Senanayake, Kumeshi Menuka, Mariola Müller, and Julia Veckes from IfaS, the event focused on advancing the development of the LCA-Care tool and aligning efforts across various work packages.
Key highlights included a live demonstration of the prototype LCA-Care tool by Navoda, showcasing its potential to help SMEs assess environmental impacts effectively. The prototype sparked valuable discussions among partners, resulting in feedback that will refine its features and functionality.
Another key part of the meeting was a guided tour of the Environmental Campus Birkenfeld, where participants explored innovative renewable energy technologies and resource management systems that have made the campus one of Germany’s greenest. This tour inspired partners to incorporate similar practices into the LCA-Care tool to help SMEs improve their sustainability.
The meeting also featured a technical visit to Govinda Natur GmbH, an SME partner in Birkenfeld, offering real-world insights into sustainability challenges and opportunities in the agri-food sector.
The sessions concluded with discussions on effective communication strategies, dissemination plans, and project evaluation frameworks, setting the stage for the next phases of the project. The LCA-Care initiative continues to empower SMEs with practical tools and strategies to drive innovation, reduce environmental footprints, and achieve eco-labeling, advancing sustainability in the agri-food sector.