The growth of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) can be attributed to the combination of voluntary reporting by manufacturers and the active involvement of policymakers. EPDs, originated from manufacturers' initiatives to assess the environmental performance of their products, eventually garnered the attention of policymakers. Designed to credibly substantiate and communicate a product’s environmental impact, EPDs have since been incorporated into various regulatory frameworks to enhance market competition and mitigate greenwashing.

As in previous years, ISC2024 continues to address the challenges and opportunities associated with EPDs. The presentation delves into maintaining the role of EPDs as a trusted and scalable solution through the perspectives of innovation, policy, and harmonisation. Additionally, it is crucial to explore how EPDs can be further developed to achieve greater global acceptance within both legally binding and non-legally binding frameworks.

An opportunity in this context is the EU Declaration of Performance and Conformity (DoPC), a legally binding counterpart to the EPD, with technical specifications that must comply with future EU Construction Products Regulation (CPR) standards. To ensure the future alignment and acceptance of EPDs, the DoPC, and similar frameworks, it is essential for all stakeholders to collaborate towards harmonised global solutions and political consensus. This collective effort is crucial to delivering and fostering a trust-based market contributing to a sustainable future.

Presentation Slides