More and more companies are losing business—not because of price or quality, but because of a lack of product-related sustainability data. Today, it is not enough to say that a product is "sustainable." It must be proven. This is where EPDs play a crucial role.
When is an EPD required?
In many contexts, EPD is already an explicit or implicit requirement, for example in:
- Public procurement
- Construction and real estate projects
- Large industrial customers' supplier assessments
- Climate calculations and sustainability reporting
Without an EPD, your product becomes less attractive compared to competitors with verified data.
EPD as a competitive advantage
Companies with EPDs can:
- Participate in more procurements
- Differentiate yourself based on facts, not marketing messages
- Demonstrate lower climate impact than the industry average
- Become eligible for customer projects
In practice, the EPD is often what determines whether a product is even included in the comparison.
EPD and customer sustainability reporting
Your customers need reliable product data for reporting:
- Scope 3 emissions
- Climate report
- Legislation-driven sustainability reporting
- Product and supplier analyses
EPDs are an accepted and sought-after format that makes your product easier to buy—not harder.
Internal business benefits for the company
In addition to external requirements, EPD work often provides significant internal value:
- Identifies the main climate drivers in the product
- Provides decision support for material selection and design
- Enables cost and energy efficiency
- Creates structure in sustainability work
Many companies discover potential for improvement that they were unaware of.
Risks of not having an EPD
Not having an EPD means, among other things:
- Risk of exclusion from procurement procedures
- Incorrect assumptions about the product's climate impact
- Weak credibility in sustainability communication
- Increased risk of greenwashing
In an increasingly data-driven market, the lack of EPDs is a growing business risk.
Summary
EPDs are no longer just "nice to have." For many companies, they are a business-critical tool for sales, procurement, and long-term competitiveness.
👉 Want to know how to actually produce an EPD in practice? Read the next article: How to produce an EPD: A step-by-step guide.