thinkstep-anz LCA and EPD services for manufacturers

Who they are and where they work

thinkstep-anz is a sustainability consultancy focused on Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, with teams across Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch, Sydney and Melbourne (their expansion note confirms multiple offices) (news on offices). They engage widely across construction, manufacturing, packaging and primary industries.

Core services for manufacturers

They provide product Life Cycle Assessments that quantify cradle to grave impacts and identify hotspots (LCA services). They develop and publish Environmental Product Declarations and support verification and program‑operator submission (EPD services). They also run corporate and product carbon work, including Scope 3 screening and strategy (carbon services).

EPD pathway, standards and verification

Expect alignment to ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 for LCA, ISO 14025 for Type III declarations, and EN 15804 or ISO 21930 for construction products. Their team participates in the regional EPD ecosystem. Staff are listed by EPD Australasia as approved individual verifiers, which manufacturers often value when navigating verification (EPD Australasia verifier list). For planning, note that EPD validity is normally five years and must be updated mid‑cycle if an indicator worsens beyond operator thresholds (EPD International FAQ, 2025) (EPD International FAQ). The construction PCR 2019:14 version 1.3.4 sunset on 20 June 2025, with work shifting to version 2.0.x in the International EPD System (EPD International, 2025) (Guidance on transition).

Data collection experience

Manufacturers should anticipate a traditional consulting cadence. It usually starts with a scoping workshop, followed by data requests for a defined reference year, supplier questionnaires, utility pulls and site inventories. Spreadsheets and email turn into the day‑to‑day. Internal effort rises for multi‑site portfolios or when supplier data is sparse. Market expectations are shifting toward lower‑friction intake and faster turnarounds, yet comprehensive LCAs still require coordinated data and reviewer time.

Tools and software you may encounter

Beyond bespoke models, thinkstep-anz supports software and data to manage sustainability programs and footprinting. Examples on their site include Sphera Corporate Sustainability Software for enterprise reporting (Fletcher Building case study), an LCA software offering page (LCA software), and a packaging LCA calculator for product teams (Packaging calculator). For Scope 3 screening they publish spend‑based emission factors and a simple scoping tool (Scope 3 Explorer, Spend‑based factors).

Industries and use cases

Their case studies and webinars span building materials, transport, food and packaging. For the built environment specifically, they host content explaining EN 15804+A2 implications and program‑operator practices in Australasia (EN 15804+A2 webinar). They also appear as a technical partner in initiatives like the NABERS Embodied Carbon tool that influence how product data is consumed in Australia (EPD Australasia webinar).

What timelines feel like in practice

A first EPD often moves through scoping, data collection, modelling, internal review, third‑party verification, and program‑operator publication. Each gate depends on data quality and reviewer availability. Because EPDs are typically valid for five years, many teams now plan publication and renewals around bid calendars and product launches so they never bump into expiry during prequalification (EPD International FAQ, 2025) (EPD International FAQ).

Market context worth knowing

The pool of comparable EPDs keeps growing, which raises the bar for transparency and speed. The International EPD System passed 10,000 valid EPDs in 2024 (EPD International, 2024) (IES milestone). EPD Australasia reported 2,000 registered EPDs by May 2025, indicating rapid regional uptake that manufacturers will feel in tenders and specs (EPD Australasia, 2025) (2,000 EPDs).

What to ask before you engage any LCA consultant

Clarify data boundaries and the exact PCR upfront. Confirm which program operator you plan to publish with and whether the verifier is pre‑agreed. Ask how supplier data will be gathered, who on your team will chase it, and what happens if default data must be used. Request a timeline that separates modelling time from verification and operator queue time. For multi‑plant portfolios, confirm how product ranges and sites will be grouped to optimise verification and future updates. Finally, check how updates and renewals will be handled if standards or PCRs change mid‑project (for construction PCR 2019:14 moved to v2.0.x in 2025) (EPD International update).

Pricing and effort signals

Public pricing is rare in this market. Internal effort is the real variable. Expect workshops to align scope, several rounds of data requests, and back‑and‑forth during verification, especially if your processes vary by site. Teams that pre‑stage ready utility, materials and waste data see fewer rework cycles. If you want a low touch intake and quicker cadence, ask very specifcally how the consultant reduces back‑and‑forth during data collection. Some still rely heavily on spreadsheets.

Competitors you may also meet in ANZ

Edge Impact delivers LCA and EPD work for building products and has verifier experience in the region (Edge EPD content, EPD Australasia verifiers). Lifecycles provides product LCAs, EPD development and SimaPro training with projects in construction materials and packaging (Lifecycles consulting, Lifecycles EPD projects). Larger engineering firms in Australia and New Zealand also offer decarbonisation and LCA services alongside design and advisory, which can be relevant for product manufacturers during capital projects.

The takeaway for manufacturers

thinkstep-anz offers a full LCA to EPD pathway, regional verifier know‑how, and supporting tools that suit teams operating in Australia and New Zealand. If you are EPD‑curious or portfolio‑wide, success still hinges on scoping the right PCR, light‑touch data wrangling, and a realistic publication timeline. Do those three well and the EPD becomes a sales asset, not just paperwork.