Contractor Program
Connecting independent sustainability experts with impactful client and project opportunities.
As SMSC and our Divisions, Parallel and Verico, continue to grow, we are building a curated network of experienced fractional professionals who can provide flexible, high-quality support as customer and project needs evolve.
Our model is designed to connect mission-aligned sustainability experts with meaningful client work while creating flexibility for both SMSC and the professionals we engage.
Our Ecosystem
One organization, three focus areas.
SMSC (parent company) creates partnerships with other leading organizations to support the design of tools and resources that accelerate industry-wide change. Our divisions, Parallel and Verico, bring this work to life through various forms of implementation.
Parallel Sustainability partners with building product manufacturers through a fractional staffing model, embedding alongside internal teams to provide strategic guidance, actionable insights, and the forward momentum needed to navigate an evolving sustainability landscape
Verico delivers independent verification and assurance for sustainability and environmental claims, enabling organizations to build trust, enhance credibility, and confidently communicate their commitments across markets.
This structure allows for industry-level value to be realized, with expert support to see it come to fruition, all with accelerated impact reduction and business value for all in mind.
Industry Committees and Advisory Roles
Members of the SMS Collaborative team contribute their expertise through participation in industry committees and advisory groups supporting the development of standards, programs, and collaborative initiatives.
HPDC Technical Committee
The HPDC Technical Committee helps maintain the integrity and evolution of the Health Product Declaration (HPD) standard. The committee interprets, refines, and expands the HPD framework, ensuring the tool continues to support transparent and credible reporting of product ingredients. Rebecca Backer, Managing Director of Verico, serves on the Technical Committee.
HPDC Technical Committee: Third Party Programs
This technical subgroup manages the credentialing and methodology for independent review and verification of Health Product Declarations, helping ensure consistent and credible third-party assessment of completed HPDs. Rebecca Backer, Managing Director of Verico, contributed to this effort as a member of the subgroup.
WELL Materials Concept Advisory
This advisory group helps guide the WELL Building Standard in addressing chemical exposure risks through material ingredient screening, emissions restrictions, transparency tools, and worker protection protocols. Annie Bevan, Founder and CEO of SMS Collaborative, is a member of the advisory group.
MIT Alumni for Climate Action
MIT Alumni for Climate Action is a nonpartisan network of alumni and affiliates working to communicate the urgency of climate change and support science-based solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Victoria Owens, Managing Director of Parallel, contributes to this effort through her participation in the network.
Living Future Material Health TAG
The Material Health Technical Advisory Group identifies and synthesizes research on chemicals of concern in the built environment and guides updates to the Living Future Red List, advancing industry dialogue on material health. Luke Dias, Sr. Project Manager at Parallel, serves on the advisory group.
MGL ACT v2 Steering Committee
The ACT Environmental Impact Label revision process was guided by experts from academia, manufacturing, sustainability, and procurement. Participation in the steering committee helped shape the next evolution of the ACT ecolabel and its role in advancing environmental transparency in the life sciences industry. Rebecca Backer, Managing Director of Verico, is a member of the steering committee.
iMasons Climate Accord Working Group
The Equipment Working Group evaluated embodied carbon calculation methodologies for data centers and data center equipment, developing case studies and contributing findings to the 2025 Maturity Model Report. The report provides guidance for data center builders and owners on advancing sustainability, increasing transparency, and shaping demand for lower-impact products. Luke Dias, Sr. Project Manager at Parallel, contributed to this effort as a member of the working group.
Our Contributions
Supporting the infrastructure that sustainable markets depend on.
For over a decade, SMSC has been partnering with key organizations to accelerate the development of infrastructure that markets depend on to make further progress.
Through leadership roles, advisory work, and/or hands-on participation, SMSC has supported forward momentum across numerous industry-wide initiatives in various markets to accelerate collective progress
