What is an EPD?

An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is an objective, independently verified document that transparently reports the environmental performance of a product. It enables fair comparisons between products that fulfill the same function.

EPDs primarily serve as a decision-making tool for businesses and specifiers, while also providing valuable environmental insight for organizations and customers seeking responsible material solutions.

Framework and verification

An EPD is developed in accordance with internationally recognized standards to ensure consistency, reliability, and comparability of environmental data. The most relevant standards are part of the ISO 14000 series for environmental management:

ISO 14025:2006 – Defines the principles and requirements for Type III Environmental Product Declarations. It explains how EPDs must be developed, verified, and communicated within the broader framework of environmental labels and declarations.

ISO 14040:2006 – Describes the principles and framework for conducting a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which forms the foundation of an EPD. It covers goal definition, scope, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation.

ISO 14044:2006 – Provides detailed requirements and guidelines for conducting an LCA according to ISO 14040, including methodological choices and reporting standards. This ensures the quality and consistency of the LCA underlying the EPD.

Together, these standards create a harmonized methodology for measuring and reporting environmental impact across the entire product lifecycle — from raw materials to end-of-life. This enables internationally recognized and comparable environmental data, supporting transparent and informed sustainability decisions.