brands & values: LCA and EPD services
Considering an outside partner to get product EPDs over the line without derailing day jobs? Here is a crisp look at what brands & values GmbH offers, where they tend to work, which product categories they’ve touched, and how that compares to other mid‑market consultants in the DACH region.
Who they are and where they work
brands & values GmbH is a German sustainability consultancy focused on corporate and product work. Their footprint is primarily Germany with projects across Northern Europe and occasional international briefs. They position themselves as experienced guides for product sustainability rather than a software vendor.
The EPD and LCA services on offer
Their public service pages describe full‑service LCA and EPD development aligned to ISO 14040, ISO 14044, ISO 14025 and EN 15804, plus publication with common European program operators such as IBU, The International EPD System and PEP Ecopassport. See their EPD landing page and offer details, including a request‑a‑quote form and process outline: Get your EPD. Broader capability statements sit under Expertise and the product area Produktnachhaltigkeit.
Portfolio footprint at a glance
Based on recent public records of published declarations, brands & values has supported 33 EPDs to date, with 6 issued in the past 12 months. Their work spans roughly 16 product categories, with visible concentrations in Special Function Doors and Wall Finishes, followed by Doors and Frames, Roof and membrane systems, resilient and wood flooring, hollow and hot‑rolled sections, door hardware, stone cladding and textiles. This pattern suggests a strong tilt to building envelope and interior finishes where European operators are most active.
Scale and throughput
The totals above indicate a boutique to mid‑sized developer rather than a high‑volume EPD factory. For manufacturers, that usually means tighter subject‑matter focus and point‑to‑point engagement with consultants. It can also mean schedules that flex around verifier availability and client document readiness.
How the projects run and how long they take
brands & values describes an end‑to‑end process from data collection to verification and publication. They note project duration is typically measured in months, which is standard in the EU market given verifier queues and the number of internal data owners involved. EPDs published via IBU are valid for five years, then require an update to remain current (IBU, 2025) (IBU, 2025).
Data handling style
Although they mention a semi‑automatic tool for generating EPDs, the consulting approach appears rooted in structured questionnaires, staged LCA modeling and back‑and‑forth with program operators. For teams without spare analyst hours, that style can increase the lift on your side compared with workflows that accept data in whatever shape it already lives in. If speed and low‑friction handoff are top priorities, pressure test any prospective partner on how they chase, clean and transform plant data at scale.
Program‑operator context that affects timelines and cost
Independent verification capacity is the long pole in Europe. IBU publicly states EPD validity and that verification alone can take several weeks depending on complexity. The operator also announced an increase in verification fees to 2,700 euros per EPD for submissions from September 1, 2025, citing market‑wide cost pressure on verifiers (IBU, 2025) (IBU, 2025). The International EPD System is pushing further into digital formats, reporting 62 fully digital EPDs live by May 20, 2025, which signals a shift toward faster updates where toolchains allow it (EPD International, 2025) (EPD International, 2025).
Competitors you will likely compare
In the DACH market and adjacent EU hubs, manufacturers considering brands & values often also look at mid‑sized LCA and EPD specialists such as GreenDelta in Berlin, ift Rosenheim’s sustainability team for envelope categories, myclimate Deutschland for EN 15804 support, and EPEA by Drees & Sommer for tool and portfolio setups. Each brings a different blend of consulting depth, software, and program‑operator relationships. None are immune to verifier bottlenecks, so timeline claims deserve scrutiny.
Where their category experience helps
The category mix noted above is useful if you sell doors, daylighting systems, roofing membranes, or resilient flooring because the right PCR and operator are already familiar territory. For metals and sections, ask specifically which datasets and cut‑off rules were used in prior work. A PCR is the rulebook of Monopoly, ignore it and the game falls apart.
What this means for sales and bids
If your reps face specs that penalize products without product‑specific EPDs, any valid EPD removes that handicap for the bid window. Age within the five‑year validity usually matters less than simply having a compliant, verified declaration available to the project team. Treat time‑to‑spec as the metric to beat, not time‑to‑PDF. Small plug for practicality here, make sure your partner will wrangle messy ERP exports and utility bills rather than sending your team to retype them into spreadsheets.
Bottom line for selecting a partner
brands & values fits the profile of an experienced, traditional consultancy with targeted construction‑product experience and a serviceable toolkit. That can deliver dependable outcomes for teams ready to engage in detailed questionnaires and multi‑week verifier cycles. If you need record‑time turnarounds and the least possible lift on plant and R&D teams, grill any provider on how they automate data intake, keep verification moving, and prevent your engineers from becoming part‑time LCA clerks. Otherwise you will definately feel the drag.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does brands & values offer full-service EPD creation and which standards do they follow?
Yes. Their site outlines LCA and EPD creation aligned to ISO 14040, ISO 14044, ISO 14025 and EN 15804 with publication through IBU, The International EPD System or PEP Ecopassport. See their EPD page: Get your EPD.
How many product categories have they supported with EPDs?
About 16 categories, with concentrations in Special Function Doors and Wall Finishes, plus work across doors and frames, roofing membranes, resilient and wood flooring, sections, and select finishes.
What project duration should manufacturers expect for an EU EPD?
Several months is typical due to data collection and verification queues. EPDs published via IBU are valid for five years before an update is needed (IBU, 2025) (IBU, 2025).
Who are comparable competitors in the region?
Common alternatives include GreenDelta, ift Rosenheim’s sustainability team, myclimate Deutschland, and EPEA by Drees & Sommer. They vary in consulting versus tooling emphasis.
About the Author
Eric works at the intersection of sustainability, regulation, and business strategy, helping manufacturers navigate the evolving landscape of EPDs and LCAs. Having spoken with hundreds of teams across North America, brings a deep understanding of what drives ROI, what regulators are asking for, and how companies can stay ahead with smart, scalable approaches to environmental reporting.
