- International Society for Industrial Ecology

Research program title

Science-Based Targets for Corporate Environmental Sustainability: The Case of Organizational Life Cycle Assessment

Reference number

5002

Supervisor

Program description

For over 30 years, business and policy leaders have increasingly acknowledged, and sought to stem, the environmental impacts of their actions. Yet, firms still set environmental targets based on market forces rather than scientific requirements. As a result, the aggregate impacts of companies continue to increase. Organizational life cycle assessment (LCA) offers significant potential for understanding the environmental impact of a firm’s portfolio of business activities, across all of its business units and their supply chains. What is missing is a barometer that helps firm’s understand their relative contribution to earth-system deterioration and set goals that support ecosystem sustainability. This project will develop an analytical method for normalizing LCA results to align organizational environmental performance to Earth’s ecological limits. It will also demonstrate the use of the developed method for setting corporate environmental targets based on scientific requirements for sustaining ecosystem services. It is an interdisciplinary project that will align research on organizational LCA, ecological limits, and strategic planning and goal setting.

Academic qualifications required

PhD in Industrial Ecology, Sustainable Systems, Sustainability Management or related interdisciplinary field with experience in life cycle assessment, ecological limits, and/or corporate sustainability.

Eligibility requirements

Applicants must not currently hold a postdoctoral appointment at Concordia
Priority will be given to postdoctoral fellows who have obtained their PhD from another university although in exceptional cases Concordia graduates may be considered
Applicants must adhere to the postdoctoral fellow eligibility criteria outlined in Concordia University’s Postdoctoral Policy

Timeline and application process

Application deadline:	open until the position is filled but no later than September 1, 2018
Fellowship start date:	no later than January 1, 2019
Submission process:	all documents must be submitted to Courtney MacDonald Please include the reference number with your application

Application checklist

One to three (1-3) page research statement demonstrating fit with the program described above.
Current curriculum vitae demonstrating research excellence and a capacity for leadership in the domain (maximum 5 pages).
Two letters of reference from academic supervisors or current employers to be sent via e-mail directly to Courtney MacDonald

Value

The prestigious Horizon Postdoctoral Fellowships are valued at $47,500 per year plus benefits and full access to Concordia’s services, including GradProSkills.

Concordia University is a vibrant research and teaching environment, with state-of-the-art research facilities and many research centers. Concordia is located in Montreal, Canada, a diverse and creative city, often ranked as offering one of the best quality of living experiences in North America.