How EPD Practitioner Training helped Lokesh strengthen his ability to lead EPD projects from development to publication

Sep 21

European Manufacturing company

Lokesh Anaparthi is an LCA and EPD professional responsible for coordinating EPD projects within a European multinational manufacturing company. His role includes overseeing LCA methodology, EPD development, tool implementation, and collaboration with internal stakeholders and external experts.

From Collaboration to Self‑Sufficiency — Closing the EPD Gap

With almost five years of LCA experience, Lokesh was already well-versed in LCA, carbon footprints and EPDs. He had worked on EPDs before, but always collaboratively with consultants. He understood the process but wanted to strengthen his ability to lead an EPD from development through verification and publication, while reducing reliance on external support where appropriate. As he explained:

“Developing EPDs will always be a collaborative process, but I wanted to take greater ownership of coordinating and leading that process internally ”

He wanted to strengthen his ability to lead and coordinate the EPD process internally, from drafting through verification and publication, while using external support selectively where it added value.

Keeping up with the EPD field was another driver, with new standards, regulations and requirements constantly emerging. Much of his knowledge had been gained on the job, making the training an opportunity to consolidate his experience, identify any gaps and gain deeper insight into the EPD process. His need for an EPD training was clear:

“I wanted to see if I'm missing something, right? And also do the EPD on my own later.”

Expert Guidance, Applied to a Real EPD

Environmental Impacts Academy’s EPD Pilot Program offered the perfect opportunity to strengthen the confidence and technical understanding needed to lead EPD development more effectively. Lokesh had already heard about EIA and the Hands-on LCA training, and had been waiting for an EPD training to be introduced, as he could see a clear gap in the market.

Among other training programs available, this one stood out to Lokesh the most because of the expertise of its instructors. He already knew Fabian Diaz well and had often turned to him with questions about the complexity of the EPD world. The opportunity to learn from experts like Fabian and Matthias Schulz and ask questions directly to experienced practitioners made the program a strong fit for what he was looking for. Lokesh mentioned:

“When I had questions, I used to ask him for advice. Knowing that the teachers, including Matthias, had strong experience was one of the reasons I joined. I felt I could ask detailed questions and get practical answers.”

The program combined self-study through video lectures, readings, and exercises with 12 instructor-led sessions: four focused on EPD methodology and technical requirements, and eight providing project support and guidance as participants applied this knowledge to their own EPD project. During the program, Lokesh combined his existing EPD knowledge with what he was learning in the classroom and applied it directly to a real EPD project at his company. He worked towards getting the EPD published, bringing questions and challenges to the instructors as he progressed. By the midpoint of the program, the EPD was already close to completion and had been submitted to the verifier for review. He also had the opportunity to submit his final draft for expert review and feedback from the teachers, allowing him to strengthen the EPD before completing it.

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From Knowing the Process to Owning It

He enrolled in the EPD Practitioner Program with a tangible outcome in mind: to take greater ownership of EPD projects internally and navigate the publication process more efficiently.

By the end of the EPD Pilot Program, Lokesh had gained the deeper understanding and confidence he was looking for. One of the most valuable outcomes was gaining greater insight into how verifiers approach EPDs and how the standards shape the process. As Lokesh explained:

“Because of the teacher, we got more insight into how verifiers think and how the standards work. It gave us a good understanding of how to navigate this complexity much quicker.”

That greater understanding translated into increased confidence in his own ability to handle EPD development:

“I now feel more confident leading EPD projects and navigating the development and verification process more efficiently.”

The results went beyond confidence. During the program, Lokesh progressed two EPD projects through verification and publication, applying insights from the training to active projects within his organization. He was able to put the learning into practice and take a stronger lead in progressing EPDs through verification and publication.