Abstract
Purpose Racial discrimination remains a pervasive social issue but is not systematically addressed in current social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) frameworks. Existing guidelines cover general discrimination only under the subcategory equal opportunities/discrimination for the stakeholder group worker , which is insufficient, as racial discrimination can occur across supply chains and affect multiple stakeholder groups. Methods This study reviewed S-LCA guiding documents and databases to assess current coverage and to identify gaps. Based on these findings and incorporation of interdisciplinary evidence on racial discrimination from e.g., labour psychology and healthcare, indicators were developed for workers, value chain actors, local communities, and children. They were then reviewed by international racism experts and adapted based on their feedback. Results and discussion 38 expert-reviewed indicators assessing racial discrimination in S-LCA were proposed and grouped into two sets: a core set representing minimum compliance with anti-racist practices and an advanced set incorporating aspirational measures aimed at addressing systemic racism. A set of reference scales was developed to facilitate implementation for practitioners. The set can be adapted to specific systems under study and local contexts. Methodological and practical challenges remain, including survey design, site-specific data availability, and risks of underreporting. Conclusions This work provides the first comprehensive framework for integrating racial discrimination into S-LCA using the reference scale approach and highlights the central role of organisations in addressing racial inequities across supply chains. Next steps include the testing and optimisation of the reference scales in practical application across various sectors and geographical contexts. Future work should expand this foundational work and cover racial discrimination within the impact pathway approach.