iLCA4SSbD kick-off meeting in Valencia (June 2026)
Building a Safe and Sustainable Future: iLCA4SSbD Kick-Off Meeting Recap
The iLCA4SSbD project officially commenced its journey with a highly collaborative and strategic kick-off meeting held from 15 to 17 June 2026. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Valencia, Spain, the three-day event brought together key European Commission representatives, industry leaders, and academic experts to align on the technical, operational, and strategic goals of the project. For those unable to attend in person, the entire event was seamlessly integrated via a digital twin format.
Day 1: Laying the Strategic & Technical Foundation
Monday, 15 June, 2026
The afternoon began with a light lunch, followed by an official opening from the project coordinator Anne-Chloé Devic, and Alexander Björling representing SSbD-CE. The initial sessions immediately framed the project's high-level impact.
Irantzu Garmendia (European Commission Joint Research Centre representative) provided a comprehensive overview of the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework and the crucial role Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) plays within it. Then, Fatima Gonzalez, the European Commission Project Officer, outlined the broader strategic context and EC expectations for the initiative.
To build collective synergy, each project partner took the stage for a rapid-fire, 5-minute introduction. Following a brief networking coffee break, the meeting shifted to an operational walkthrough of the project’s technical Work Packages (WPs), showcasing leadership across diverse institutions:
WP1: Gemma Mendoza (TEKNIKER)
WP2: Alexander Björling (SSbD-CE)
WP3: Blanca Suarez (TEMASOL)
WP4: Carla Caldeira (SYENSQO)
WP5: Javier Rios (GAIKER)
WP6: Danail Hristozov (EMERGE)
WP7: Ayse Ay (BASF)
WP8: Lya Hernandez (RIVM)
The day concluded with an interactive panel discussion moderated by Alexander Björling to cement project goals and priorities, leading into a welcoming networking reception.
Day 2: Deep Diving into Case Studies & Scoping
Tuesday, 16 June 2026
Day 2 was highly interactive, designed to stress-test the project's real-world applications across five distinct case studies. Anne-Chloé Devic (SSbD-CE) and Susanne Waaijers-van der Loop (RIVM) set the stage for a day dominated by goal-and-scoping breakout sessions.
Case Study Pitches & Interactive Breakouts
The consortium split into focused groups to map out specific value chains, all heavily moderated by the team at RIVM (including Susanne Waaijers-van der Loop and Lowik Pieters). The day featured parallel breakout and plenary sessions designed to establish the goal and scoping for five distinct value chains. These included a Batteries case study led by Ayse Ai of BASF and a Surfactants case study led by Carla Caldeira of SYENSQO during the first parallel breakout block. This was followed by a second parallel breakout block focusing on a Composite Blocker case study pitched by Catherine Colin of IPC alongside a Smart Textiles case study presented by Monica Martinez of AVANZARE. Finally, the technical scoping concluded with a dedicated plenary session centred around an Ethanol case study, which was also led by Ayse Ay of BASF.
Following a final plenary reflection to synthesize findings from all five case studies, the late afternoon shifted to communication, dissemination & exploitation: Stella Stoycheva and Yasemin Ertugrul (YORDAS) outlined strategies for maximum dissemination and market impact. Then, we continued with the project management tasks: Anne-Chloé Devic (SSbD-CE), alongside Hildegard Luhmann and Oliver Panzer (ERS), detailed administrative and financial workflows.
The strenuous day of mapping concluded with a relaxed poolside event, followed by a formal consortium dinner.
Day 3: Action Planning and Next Steps
Wednesday, 17 June 2026
The final morning focused entirely on immediate execution and risk management. Anne-Chloé Devic opened the day, transitioning straight into a concrete Action Plan for the first 6 months, co-led by Hildegard Luhmann (ERS), which included a review of the project's risk register.
Work Package leaders then gathered to synthesize findings and conclusions from Day 2's interactive sessions, ensuring that the takeaways from the case studies were embedded directly into the technical roadmap.
The meeting wrapped up with an open closing session detailing the immediate next steps and a final farewell over a light lunch, leaving the consortium aligned, motivated, and fully equipped to advance the iLCA4SSbD agenda.
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