LCA Automation for chemical manufacturing will allow companies to calculate their entire portfolio’s environmental footprint in an accelerated, transparent and scalable way

CHICAGO, Nov. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Sphera, a leading global provider of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance and risk management software, data and consulting services, today announced that long-standing customer Eastman, an innovative global specialty materials company, has been collaborating with the company on the forthcoming iteration of Sphera’s Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Automation software.

Earlier this year, Sphera launched its next-generation LCA Automation solution that allows businesses to quickly receive holistic, real-time analysis and insights into the environmental footprint of their product portfolios and integrates seamlessly with their existing systems. Sphera’s LCA Automation tool will help businesses more effectively reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at every step of production, from design to assembly.

The next phase of LCA Automation will meet the complex needs of the chemical industry. Given the multitude of industries chemical companies supply and an increased focus on sustainability, there is ever-increasing pressure from Eastman’s commercial partners to provide transparency into the environmental profile for all their products. However, carbon footprint calculations are especially complex in the chemical industry, because manufacturers must account for the carbon footprint of the raw materials they buy, as well as the manufacturing process (e.g., reactions, transformations). The manufacturing process is unique for each product and can consist of dozens of steps, each having their own environmental footprint impact. Additionally, collecting data from all systems involved in the production process of each product is required to get a complete environmental footprint.

"We are excited to have Eastman as a collaborator," said Mike Zamis, Sphera’s chief product officer. "Having a customer with a shared commitment to sustainability and deep industry expertise provide valuable insight at this early stage will help ensure that LCA Automation for the chemical industry has the necessary functionality for reliable LCA calculations. Helping customers to calculate product sustainability based on proven, science-based environmental data and reliable methodologies is critical to our mission of creating a safer, more sustainable and productive world."

Jason Pierce, Senior Technical Leader, LCA and Circular Economy at Eastman added, "Sustainability is integral to Eastman’s strategy and we are honored to work with Sphera on the functionality of LCA Automation for our industry. It’s exciting to be at the cutting-edge of technology that is enabling the scale-up of product carbon footprint and full LCA data across our entire global portfolio. This enables better support for our customers and accelerates progress of our industry toward ambitious climate goals."

For the next phase of development of this solution, Sphera invites companies in the chemical industry to participate in a focus group to help ensure the LCA Automation solution for chemical companies will meet their organization’s needs. Learn more about joining the Focus Group.

About Sphera

Sphera is the leading provider of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance and risk management software, data and consulting services focusing on Environment, Health, Safety & Sustainability (EHS&S), Operational Risk Management and Product Stewardship. For more than 30 years, we have served over 6,700 customers and a million-plus users in 80 countries to help companies keep their people safe, their products sustainable and their operations productive. Learn more about Sphera at www.sphera.com. Follow Sphera on LinkedIn.

About Eastman

Founded in 1920, Eastman is a global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With the purpose of enhancing the quality of life in a material way, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. The company’s innovation-driven growth model takes advantage of world-class technology platforms, deep customer engagement, and differentiated application development to grow its leading positions in attractive end markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables. As a globally inclusive and diverse company, Eastman employs approximately 14,000 people around the world and serves customers in more than 100 countries. The company had 2021 revenues of approximately $10.5 billion and is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA. For more information, visit eastman.eco.

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