"Life cycle assessment is often called a 'cradle-to-grave' approach to sustainability." Elucidate in the background of life cycle assessment framework.

Life Cycle Impact Assessment is a technique adopted to assess the environmental impacts associated with all stages of a product's life cycle from cradle to grave. The primary aim of this Assessment is to compare the full range of environmental effects assignable to products and services so as to improve processes, support policy and provide a sound basis for informed decisions. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a multi-step procedure for calculating the lifetime environmental impact of a product or service. The complete process of LCA includes goal and scope definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation. The process is naturally iterative as the quality and completeness of information and its plausibility are constantly being tested. Life cycle impact assessment framework: Goal and scope definition Inventory analysis Impact assessment Interpretation It is to be taken care of that while choosing the correct mix of impact assessment techniques, consideration should be given to transparency and public accountability, stakeholder involvement, reliability of the information obtained, reliability of inference for policy improvement, cost and skills requirements. Also, the decision makers should concentrate on facts & figures derived out of impact assessment study and take well-informed decision in regard to implementation of proposed CSR project and should remain accountable for their decision.