Evaluation of Social Impact in Integrated Water Services through Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA): A Case Study on PIAVE SERVIZI S.p.A

The increasing emphasis on social sustainability has driven the need for comprehensive evaluation methods such as Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA). This study applies the S-LCA methodology to assess the social impact of integrated water services, using Piave Servizi S.p.A. as a case study. The assessment, structured around the stages of water withdrawal, treatment, distribution, and use, followed the UNEP S-LCA Guidelines to evaluate the company’s social performance across key stakeholder categories: Workers, Users, Local Communities, Society, Children, and Government. A structured literature review was conducted to identify relevant impact subcategories, which were assessed using a reference scale approach based on triangulated survey and company data. The findings highlight both strengths and areas for improvement in Piave Servizi’s social sustainability performance. A key strength identified is a strong commitment to workers’ rights, particularly freedom of association and collective bargaining. On the other hand, challenges remain in areas such as worker-management dialogue, customer satisfaction with service continuity, and awareness of the company’s sustainability efforts. Additionally, concerns were raised regarding equal opportunities for training and professional development and fair treatment in the workplace despite existing policies. To achieve a more socially sustainable water service, targeted recommendations have been proposed. These include strengthening internal communication to improve worker engagement and satisfaction, developing strategies to minimize service disruptions, and enhancing sustainability awareness campaigns to increase customer engagement and satisfaction. Most importantly, the implementation of company policies on equality and fair treatment should be revisited, reassessed, and refined to ensure their effectiveness in fostering a more equitable workplace. The study also faced limitations in data availability, particularly for Local Community and Government stakeholders, due to low survey response rates. Recommendations to address these challenges include improved survey design and dissemination. This study contributes to the growing application of S-LCA in the water services sector, demonstrating its effectiveness in identifying social hotspots and providing actionable strategies for improving corporate social responsibility.