SCS Global Services: LCA and EPD services at a glance
Choosing an LCA partner can feel like picking a travel companion. You want someone who knows the route, not someone who makes you carry all the bags. Here is how SCS Global Services shows up for manufacturers that need Environmental Product Declarations fast enough to matter commercially.
Who SCS Global Services is
SCS Global Services is a long‑standing US‑based verifier and sustainability firm with a global client base. Their EPD work sits alongside auditing, certification, and broader ESG advisory. They present LCA and EPD help as end‑to‑end consulting with separate verification support when needed. See their service pages for Environmental Product Declarations and Life Cycle Assessment for scope and contact paths (EPD services, LCA services).
What they offer to manufacturers
Expect a conventional mix of services: LCA studies, EPD report drafting, coordination with an independent verifier, and help publishing. They also provide EPD verification as a stand‑alone service and reference mutual recognition with The International EPD System for EN 15804 alignment, useful for EU market access (EPD verification).
Scale and product coverage
Based on recent publishing activity, SCS has produced 780 EPDs, with 38 issued in the past 12 months. Coverage spans roughly 70 product categories, with the heaviest concentration in interiors. The biggest clusters are resilient flooring at 226 EPDs and carpet at 205. There are smaller but notable showings in demountable partitions at 41, chairs at 27, cold‑formed framing at 22, and acoustical ceilings at 21. The long tail includes glass, metals, plumbing fixtures, insulation, windows, siding, wood products, and more.
How engagement typically feels
SCS operates a traditional consulting cadence. That often means structured document exchanges, spreadsheet templates for data collection, and iterative PDF reviews with an external verifier. Many manufacturers can handle this, but teams should plan internal time for organizing utility bills, BOMs, supplier data, and responding to clarifications. The approach is rigorous, though it can lean on client effort during scoping and teh verification step.
Timelines and throughput signals
SCS’s public service pages emphasize completeness and quality. They do not publish standard delivery timelines or guaranteed turnaround on those pages. If speed to publish is critical for an upcoming bid window, confirm available capacity and current queue during scoping.
Where they fit for different product teams
If your portfolio sits in flooring and interior systems, SCS brings deep category familiarity. For structural and envelope categories, they do have coverage, but volume is more distributed. Teams with limited LCA experience may appreciate a single vendor covering LCA, EPD authoring, and coordinating verification, provided internal data wrangling time is budgeted.
Competitors manufacturers often compare
Manufacturers in North America commonly stack SCS against other LCA and EPD providers with similar regional reach and service breadth. Those include UL Solutions, WAP Sustainability, Sphera’s consulting team, Ramboll, and Sustainable Minds. Selection usually turns on two things: how much internal time the partner requires to collect and clean data, and how quickly the EPD can be readied for specification deadlines.
What to check before engaging
- Confirm the applicable PCR and program operator you plan to publish with, plus any mutual recognition needs for EU or UK projects.
- Ask for the exact data template you will be expected to complete and who on your team will own each section.
- Request the likely review cycles with the verifier and the typical number of non‑conformity rounds for similar products.
- Clarify how updates will work when annual data changes and whether partial year data can support a prospective EPD if production is new.
Pragmatic takeaway
SCS is a large, established option for LCA and EPD work, particularly strong in interiors. Their model is familiar and dependable for teams ready to engage in spreadsheets and iterative reviews. If your priority is minimizing internal lift and compressing calendar time, probe hard on data intake, review loops, and real scheduling so the partner you pick matches the deadline you actually face.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does SCS Global Services provide both LCA creation and independent EPD verification services?
Yes. They market full LCA and EPD development and also offer stand‑alone verification services, including critical review and EPD checks aligned to ISO 14025 and EN 15804. See SCS’s EPD verification page.
How broad is SCS’s EPD portfolio by product category?
They have work across roughly 70 categories, with the largest clusters in resilient flooring and carpet. Volume in structural and facade categories exists but is less concentrated.
Does SCS publish typical timelines for EPD delivery?
No standard timelines are listed on their service pages. Teams should confirm capacity and expected review cycles during scoping.
Can SCS support publishing for EU recognition?
They reference mutual recognition with The International EPD System for EN 15804 alignment on their EPD verification page, which can support recognition needs.
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.
