The implementation of the management model with a Sustainable Manufacturing (SM) approach means thinking of processes that use natural resources in a responsible manner, promote the health and safety of all those involved and the integration of production cycle processes (production - distribution - consumption - recovery).

Literature shows that to make this management model feasible, it is recommended to map the entire production chain and the life cycle of products and processes.

One of the possible methods to map this process is to produce the Inventories in the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), which makes an environmental balance of the processes and creates indicators for monitoring and decision making. With the construction of the Life Cycle Inventory (LCI), a clear flow chart is created of the entire manufacturing process, all the input and output flows and energy and the balance between them.

This means that a detailed map of the entire production process is obtained. With these details, it is possible to develop products, opt for technologies with better results, select significant environmental indicators and reformulate products or the process. The analysis of all life cycle phases permits the identification and evaluation of the process’ critical phases, the opportunity to optimize inputs and energy, to indicate the most appropriate metrics for controlling and analyzing performance, and most especially, improve environmental performance, indicating the Life Cycle phase where impacts occur as well as identifying opportunities for greater economic efficiency and innovation. These data provide tangible subsidies for decision making based on sustainability criteria.

Through a review of literature, this paper proposes underscoring the importance of LCA in implementing SM, seeking to be an incentive for more in-depth research and for the creation of proposals that can make LCA accessible to the entire production sector in the country as soon as possible.

Brazil is in the initial phase of development of this management instrument with national characteristics and it does not deny the fact there is still a way to go before LCA can become accessible to most companies. This is mainly due to the difficulties in producing LCI as a result of costs as well as the need for complete chain information (reliability) and the existence of few LCI databases and a standard methodology to be applied in the country, important items for making the analyses feasible. This is of fundamental importance to promote the good positioning of Brazilian companies in the global market since other countries, mainly those in Europe, have been seeking sustainable equilibrium for a longer time.

The paper shows it is not possible to establish truly sustainable production processes without carrying out a LCA, and it also shows the method’s direct relation to standardization processes, such as ISO 14001. We conclude that only a joint effort by the government, companies, universities, research institutes and class entities will make it feasible to use the system in the country.