Sphera for LCAs and EPDs: What Manufacturers Should Know
If your product team needs LCAs or EPDs and prefers a familiar, traditional consulting model, Sphera is often in the consideration set. They combine consulting benches with proprietary LCA software and large data libraries. Expect workshops, data requests and spreadsheet rounds that map to ISO and EN rules. The upside is deep technical guidance. The tradeoff is more internal lift and longer runways. Here is how their offer lines up, plus what to ask before you commit so timelines and scope do not drift.
Where Sphera fits in the market
Sphera operates as a hybrid of sustainability consultancy and software provider focused on product sustainability, with global teams that work across construction, chemicals, electronics, metals and broader manufacturing. Their consulting pages describe more than 200 consultants and over 1,500 clients, supported by 20,000 plus DEKRA‑verified LCA datasets and 500,000 emission factors (Sphera Sustainability Consulting, 2025) (Sphera, 2025).
Core services seen on their site
Manufacturers will find end‑to‑end support spanning life cycle assessment, product carbon footprints and EPD preparation. Their product sustainability consulting overview outlines LCA and PCF work, while the EPD services page positions support for third‑party verified declarations aligned to EN 15804, ISO 14025 and ISO 21930, plus familiarity with IBU, ECO Platform and InData for market access. Explore the service pages here: Product Sustainability Consulting and EPD Services.
Tools and data that underpin delivery
Sphera is the steward of GaBi LCA datasets and offers software for modeling and portfolio analytics. For practitioners, start with Life Cycle Assessment Software and Data and the SpheraCloud Portfolio Analyzer. Their site also promotes LCA automation that promises significant speed gains for certain use cases, including a TÜV‑certified automated LCA process reported as up to ten times faster in a chemicals context (Sphera News, 2025) (Sphera, 2025).
What the project experience typically looks like
Manufacturers should expect a structured consulting cadence. Kickoff workshops to lock scope and PCR fit. Data intake via templates for bills of materials, utilities, packaging and logistics. Iterative modeling reviews, then verification prep and coordination with a program operator. This is thorough work and it takes time. Internal effort is not trivial since SMEs must validate assumptions and supply primary data. Many teams now expect low‑friction data intake and faster cycles, so clarify how much data wrangling sits with your team versus the consultant, early. It definately pays off to align on this in week one.
PCR guidance and verification support
Their EPD services copy emphasizes standards alignment and market compatibility for EN 15804 + A2 and ISO 14025, and names relationships with European bodies such as IBU and ECO Platform. In practice, that usually means advising on PCR selection that mirrors competitor practice, preparing verifier packages, and routing publication through the chosen operator. See EPD Services.
Data collection approaches you will encounter
Expect a mix of questionnaires, spreadsheets and periodic interviews to pull primary data from plants and suppliers. Where ERP or MES exports are available, teams can map data into Sphera templates. Their automation messaging suggests options to streamline inputs for repeat products or high‑volume portfolios. Ask for a sample data schema and a RACI so responsibilities are crystal clear.
Industries and geographies
Sphera’s sector pages highlight construction, chemicals, manufacturing, electronics, metals and mining, and oil and gas, with delivery teams described as regionally embedded. That fit matters if you operate across EU markets, because EN 15804 and operator preferences can vary by country. Review their sector coverage on the Sustainability Consulting page.
Timelines, resourcing and what to clarify upfront
Timelines vary with scope, number of SKUs, and whether a PCR already exists. Reliable market‑wide timeline averages are hard to pin down without scope, so make the plan concrete. Useful questions:
- Which PCR will be used and when does it expire. What is Plan B.
- How many stakeholder workshops and modeling rounds are included in the fee.
- What share of data collection is consultant‑led versus client‑led, and which systems will be tapped.
- Who schedules and manages third‑party verification and publication.
- Can the model be reused to scale to additional SKUs without rework.
Competitors you are likely to see in the same RFPs
At the global enterprise end, comparable consulting names often include ERM, WSP, Anthesis, Ramboll, Quantis and Bureau Veritas. In LCA tooling or specialist advisory, manufacturers also evaluate PRe Consultants and EarthShift Global. Local boutiques appear in country‑level tenders too. Compare staffing model, verifier relationships and data intake burden across all candidates.
Bottom line for manufacturers
Sphera brings a traditional consulting experience paired with established LCA tools and large managed datasets. That can be a good match if your team wants deep technical guidance and is ready to invest internal time in data preparation and reviews. If your priority is speed and low‑friction intake, pressure test their automation options and delivery plan so your portfolio can move from modeling to published EPDs on a timeline that protects revenue windows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Sphera provide both consulting and software for LCAs and EPDs?
Yes. Their site positions consulting teams and proprietary software including GaBi datasets and SpheraCloud tools that support modeling, analytics and automation. See their LCA software pages for details.
Do they handle PCR selection and verifier coordination for EPDs?
Their EPD services content highlights standards alignment with EN 15804, ISO 14025 and ISO 21930, and collaboration with European bodies like IBU and ECO Platform, which typically includes PCR guidance and verification support.
What kind of internal effort should a manufacturer expect?
Plan for workshops, structured data requests, spreadsheet templates, and iterative model reviews. Clarify early how much data collection the consultant drives versus your team.
Which industries does Sphera appear to focus on?
Construction, chemicals, manufacturing, electronics, metals and mining, and oil and gas are referenced across their consulting pages.
Is there evidence of accelerated LCA workflows?
Sphera markets LCA automation and cites a TÜV‑certified automated LCA process reported as up to ten times faster in a chemicals setting (Sphera News, 2025) (Sphera, 2025).
About the Author
With a passion for sustainability and a love for complex data, Toby helps manufacturers efficiently collect data from across their organization and get their EPDs done right. He’s especially interested in how AI can support human expertise, helping R&D and factory teams work faster, smarter, and with less friction.
