Lecture “SPDs: Assessing the Social Sustainability Performance of Products throughout their Life Cycle”

Title: Social Product Declarations: Assessing the Social Sustainability Performance of Products throughout their Life Cycle

Speaker:  Professor Marzia Traverso, RWTH Aachen

Date & Time: 14 January 2026, 16:00-18:00

Location: Online (request link via gsvc@hwr-berlin.de) and Campus Lichtenberg, room House 6B, Room 6B259.

Social Product Declarations (SPDs) represent a good way to assess, compare and communicate the social sustainability performance of products considering the entire life cycle. Based on Social Life Cycle Assessments (S-LCAs), they highlight impacts of a product lifecycle on different stakeholders such as: workers, local communities and users. In 2023, the world’s first Product Category Rules (PCR) for SPDs, and the first ever SPD, was published thanks to the support of Hitachi Rail and Circular Srl (GmbH in Italy). The project was led by Prof. Marzia Traverso, director of INaB RWTH Aachen University – the guest lecturer of this session. The lecture gives insights into the concept of SPDs, their development as well as benefits and challenges that arise during their formation and usage.

Marzia Traverso is a full Professor and head of Chair and Institute of Sustainability in Civil Engineering in RWTH Aachen since 2017. She holds a PhD in Environmental Technical Physics from the University of Palermo. Furthermore, Professor Traverso is an environmental engineer, working in the field of Life Cycle Assessment and sustainability performance of building and transport sector and strategic environmental assessment to the transportation urban systems.