SCS Global Services for LCAs and EPDs: What to know
Manufacturers hunting for LCAs or EPDs will run into SCS Global Services quickly. They sit in the traditional consultancy camp, with deep verification chops and decades of technical practice. Here’s a clear rundown of what they offer, how projects typically run, and where expectations around timelines and data effort land today.
Where SCS fits in the LCA and EPD landscape
SCS Global Services is a long‑standing certification and verification body that also delivers LCA consulting and EPD support. Their role spans study execution, critical review, EPD verification, and program operation for Type III declarations.
Helpful pages: Life Cycle Assessment, Environmental Product Declaration consulting, LCA verification, EPD verification.
Core services at a glance
SCS markets full product LCAs, comparative LCAs, LCA screening and strategy, and staff training. On the disclosure side they provide EPD drafting, third‑party EPD verification, and publication via their Green Products Guide registry. See their EPD consulting overview and the Green Products Guide.
Program operator and verification capabilities
SCS operates a Type III EPD program with published program instructions and offers independent EPD verification aligned to ISO 14025 and, for construction, ISO 21930 and EN 15804. Reference docs live in their EPD Program Operator Manual download page. They also highlight mutual recognition with other programs and membership in ECO Platform, relevant for EU‑oriented building products, summarized in their ECO Platform announcement.
PCR guidance and rulebook selection
If no suitable Product Category Rule exists, SCS offers facilitation for PCR development and can advise on which existing PCRs competitors use in your category. Details appear across EPD verification and Advanced Technical Services.
Data collection approach and tools
Expect structured questionnaires, scoping forms, document requests, and workshops to define system boundaries and gather plant‑level data. SCS notes use of openLCA alongside proprietary tooling and recognized databases such as ecoinvent on its LCA page. That stack signals a conventional, model‑driven workflow that leans on spreadsheets, interviews, and dataset vetting.
Carbon footprinting options
Beyond cradle‑to‑gate or cradle‑to‑grave LCAs, SCS offers product carbon footprints and verification aligned with ISO 14067, PAS 2050, and the GHG Protocol. See Product Carbon Footprinting and PCF Verification. This is useful when buyers ask for Scope 3‑ready emissions factors without a full EPD.
Industries and geographies
SCS points to experience across building materials, metals, furniture, textiles, plastics, glass, forestry products, appliances, food and agriculture, plus chemicals. Their site signals a global footprint with representatives in North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia Pacific. For EU‑focused construction, the ECO Platform membership is particularly relevant.
What the client experience typically feels like
Most manufacturers will see a classic consulting cadence. It starts with a scoping form and a kickoff workshop, then weeks of data collection across utilities, purchasing, production, waste, packaging, and logistics, usually for a defined reference year. Expect spreadsheet templates, back‑and‑forth on data gaps, and model reviews before results are locked. That effort often falls on operations, EHS, finance, and product engineering.
Timelines and market realities to plan for
Verification rarely happens overnight. Program operators in Europe note that several weeks should be planned for verification, with the exact timing driven by complexity and data quality (IBU, 2025). EPDs are generally issued with a five‑year validity before renewal with the latest PCR or ruleset (IBU, 2025). Capacity is tight in parts of the market, with verifiers citing roughly forty percent increases in external verification costs since 2016, a proxy for constrained supply and rising demand (IBU, 2025).
How SCS’s offer compares to the wider field
In the same size and segment, manufacturers often compare SCS with multinational conformity bodies and boutique LCA firms. Common names include UL Solutions, NSF, Intertek, SGS, Bureau Veritas, and consultancies like WSP, ERM, Ramboll, and WAP Sustainability. Many provide overlapping mixes of LCA execution, EPD authoring, and independent verification. Selection usually hinges on verification scope, geographic recognition for your market, and how much internal lift your team can absorb.
A quick note on modern expectations
The traditional path leans on workshops, emails, and multi‑tab spreadsheets. That can still work, yet teams increasingly expect low‑friction data intake, fast iteration, and clearer project tracking to keep plant staff out of admin work. Whatever partner you choose, probe on data wrangling support, how supplier requests are handled, and how quickly iteration cycles close. Small frictions add up, and they steal time from your most valuable people. It’s easy to under‑estimate that cost, we see it every week.
Bottom line for manufacturers
SCS brings established verification authority and an enviromental certification backbone, plus a conventional LCA consulting model many teams know. If you need EPDs recognized in North America or the EU, or want a verifier already steeped in ISO and EN rulesets, they are a credible option. Match their offering to your internal bandwidth, your target markets, and the data you can realistically collect this quarter, not the data you wish you had.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does SCS provide both EPD creation and independent verification or only one of them?
SCS offers LCA and EPD development through its consulting services and also provides third‑party EPD verification through its EPD program. See EPD consulting and verification pages for scope and process details.
Which software and databases does SCS mention for LCAs?
Their LCA page references openLCA alongside proprietary tools and established databases such as ecoinvent, indicating a conventional model‑based workflow.
Can SCS help when a PCR does not exist?
Yes. SCS offers PCR development facilitation and guidance on selecting applicable PCRs where multiple options exist.
Where does SCS publish EPDs it operates or verifies?
SCS lists EPDs in its Green Products Guide registry. Manufacturers can link those EPDs on product pages for specifier access.
What project cadence should manufacturers expect with a traditional consultant model?
Scoping, data request templates, workshops, validation cycles, and reviewer feedback. Internal effort often spans operations, EHS, procurement, finance, and product engineering over several weeks for verification, depending on complexity (IBU, 2025).
About the Author
John brings a clear, research-driven perspective on the EPD, LCA and HPD space and keeps a close pulse on environmental trends and standards in North America, helping clients understand where the industry is heading and how to get there.
