How can I register as an Individual Verifier?

We welcome LCA-experts to apply to become an individual verifier to The International EPD System. 

To get the details, please download and read the application form as well as the information on this page and in our GPI (section 4.10 ff.) with care. Amongst others, here we inform about the requirements you will need to meet and the procedure.

When you feel that you meet the requirements and want to initiate the process, kindly send an email to the EPD Secretariat responsible for Compliance and Quality Assurance. Please include the completed individual verifier application form and any relevant documents as attachments.

General information (more details in our valid GPI) 

The verifier shall be independent and have the following competencies. 

Specific competences related to EPD and verification, including: 

• general knowledge of industry and product-related environmental matters, 
• good process and product knowledge, including relevant standards, within the product sector in which the verifier intends to perform verifications,
• in-depth knowledge and/or experience of LCA methodology, including ISO 14040/14044, 
• in-depth knowledge of the relevant standards in the field of environmental labelling and declarations, including ISO 14020 and ISO 14025,
• in-depth knowledge of the International EPD System, including the General Programme Instructions, 
• knowledge of ISO/TS 14071 LCA Critical Review Process and Reviewer Competencies, and ISO 19011 Guidelines for Auditing Management Systems, 
• knowledge in the overall regulatory framework in which the concept of EPDs has been introduced, 
• experience in reviewing LCAs verification of EPDs, or the equivalent, and 
• sufficient proficiency in English to read and understand the General Programme Instructions, PCR, and EPD and to document the verification in a verification report in English. 

Specific competence requirements for individual verifiers 

The requirements for the qualification of an individual verifier are:

• at least five years of documented experience as a practitioner and/or reviewer in the field of LCA, carbon footprint, or environmental footprint (according to ISO 14040/14044/14067, or similar), and 
• at least five documented critical reviews of LCA studies conducted maximum 5 years prior to the application in line with the critical review requirements of ISO 14044:2006, verification of Type III environmental declarations in other programmes, or the equivalent. This should include at least one LCA study involving assessment of multiple environmental impacts. 

If the independent verifier participates in a training course organized by the International EPD® System (physical or online), requirements on performed reviews will be reduced to three. Participation in certification or training programmes may be accounted for the requirement of documented experience. 

Also, individual verifiers may build up verification experience by using the process described in section 4.10.3.2 Shadowing Program for LCA experts, who need critical review/verification experience, which may be taken into account for the overall assessment. This process does not replace the specific competence requirements as described above. 

Other than these requirements, general auditor skills and regular auditing or certification experience is an advantage, but not a mandatory requirement. 

In addition to the competence requirements to become an approved individual verifier, the verifier shall in each assignment ensure that they have knowledge and experience of the types of products, the industry, and the relevant standards of the product covered by the EPD and its geographical scope before taking on a verification task.