Sustainability requirements are becoming more stringent, and more detailed information is required on the responsibility and environmental impact of products. In particular, EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) and Digital Product Passport (DPP) and the information required for them are what companies are talking about. Both of these aim for transparency regarding the product's life cycle and environmental impacts, but from different perspectives and for different purposes.
What is EPD?
An EPD, or Environmental Product Declaration, is a standardized way of reporting on the environmental impacts of a product throughout its life cycle. It is a verified and certified document based on life cycle assessment (LCA). Environmental reporting is widely used, for example, in the construction industry.
The EPD includes, among other things:
- The composition and origin of raw materials
- Energy consumption and water use
- Emissions and waste at different stages of manufacturing
- Product lifespan and recyclability
- Certificates
What is a digital product passport?
The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a future EU requirement that aims to increase the transparency and recyclability. It allows consumers, recyclers and authorities to easily access up-to-date information about a product, for example via a QR code, to a constantly updated digital database. The Digital Product Passport has first been used in the textile industry and electronics.
The DPP includes, among other things:
- Product identification and manufacturer information
- Materials and chemicals
- Country of manufacture and supply chain origin
- Energy efficiency and performance
- Lifetime warranties and spare parts availability
- Repairability, upgradability and recyclability
- Packaging materials and sustainability labels
What benefits do companies gain from offering EPD or DDP?
Both EPD and digital product passport offer much more than just regulatory compliance. They guide to higher quality product information management and enhance the customer and shopping experience, so they can be significant competitive advantage for a company.
- Better customer experience – Transparent information increases credibility and helps customers make sustainable choices.
- Easier market access – Several parties already require EPD. In the future, DPP will be mandatory in many sectors.
- Preparedness for future regulation – A company that prepares in time avoids rushing and is able to utilize change strategically.
- Strengthening the brand – EPD and DPP communicate about responsibility, which is a decisive factor in the purchasing decision for more and more customers.
How to prepare in practice?
Monitoring and preparing for regulatory changes helps companies prepare for the future. If things are well-laid out, the changes will not pose such major challenges to operations. Good systems help with managing and updating information.
Here are our tips:
- Collect product information into Adeona PIM
- Collect and manage product information systematically in a product information management system, from which it can be exported to both EPD and DPP.
- Ensure that product information (such as raw materials, energy consumption and emissions) is documented and the source of the information is traceable.
- Collaborate with the supply chain
- EPD and DPP also require information from subcontractors.
The future is transparent
Both the EPD and the digital product passport show that simply having a quality product is no longer enough. Today, and even more so in the future, companies that are able to communicate their responsibility openly and reliably are among the most successful.
Adeona's experts are happy to help and tell you how Adeona PIM product information management system can be utilized to manage sustainability information.
