The Digital Product Passport (DPP) marks a structural shift in how product information is created, shared, and trusted. It’s not just another compliance requirement — it’s a signal that product data must become machine-readable, connected, and reusable by default.
If you work with manufacturing, product development, sustainability, or compliance, this checklist is meant to help you pause, reflect, and prepare — practically, not theoretically.
What is the Digital Product Passport (DPP)?
The Digital Product Passport is an EU initiative introduced under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). Its purpose is simple but far-reaching: to ensure that reliable, standardised product information follows a product throughout its lifecycle.
In practice, a DPP will contain information such as:
- A unique product identifier
- Material composition and origin
- Environmental performance and footprint data
- Compliance documentation
- Substances of concern
- User manuals, safety instructions, and repair guidance
- End-of-life and disposal recommendations
This information won’t live in static files. It will be digitally accessible, structured, and readable by systems — not just humans.
From 2024 onward, DPP requirements will be introduced gradually across product categories. For most companies, this isn’t a question of if, but how ready are we.
Why DPP is different from previous regulations
Many sustainability frameworks already exist — EPDs, LCAs, CSRD, CBAM. What makes DPP different is that it connects them.
DPP doesn’t ask for new numbers just for the sake of it. It asks for:
- Consistent data
- Clear traceability
- Ongoing availability, not one-off reporting
In other words:
If your data only works inside a report, it’s not DPP-ready.
The DPP is designed to be reused across supply chains, authorities, customers, and digital systems. That’s why it aligns closely with open data principles — standardisation, accessibility, interoperability.
A practical checklist to prepare for DPP
1. Do we know where our product data actually lives?
Most organisations discover this late. Environmental data in one place. Compliance documents in another. Product specs somewhere else.
DPP readiness starts with a simple question: Can we point to a single, structured source of product truth?
If the answer is “kind of” or “it depends”, that’s your first signal.
2. Is our data readable by machines — or only by people?
PDFs are great for humans. Machines disagree.
DPP requires data that is:
- Structured
- Standardised
- Reusable across systems
If key information only exists in narrative text, attachments, or scanned documents, it will need to be transformed — not copied.
3. Can we trace every number back to its source?
Transparency isn’t just about sharing data — it’s about trusting it.
Ask yourself:
- Can we explain where a footprint value comes from?
- Can we show assumptions, datasets, and versions?
- Can we update one input without rebuilding everything?
Traceability isn’t a “nice to have” in DPP. It’s foundational.
4. Are we treating sustainability data as living — or static?
Traditional reporting creates snapshots. DPP assumes continuity.
Product data will be reused, updated, referenced, and checked over time. That means:
- Changes must cascade automatically
- Updates should not trigger full rework
- Old data should never silently live on
If updates today feel heavy, DPP will amplify that pain unless systems change.
5. Do our internal teams work from the same data?
DPP touches more than sustainability teams:
- Product
- Procurement
- Compliance
- IT
- Sales
If each function works with its own version of product data, DPP becomes a coordination problem — not a technical one.
Shared data foundations matter more than new reports.
6. Are our suppliers part of the data flow — or outside it?
Much of the information required for DPP sits upstream.
Preparation means asking:
- Can suppliers contribute structured data directly?
- Can updates flow without manual chasing?
- Can we validate inputs before they affect reporting?
DPP will reward companies that design collaboration into their data model early.
7. Do we understand how DPP connects to existing frameworks?
DPP doesn’t replace EPDs, LCAs, or CSRD — it builds on them.
A good readiness check is: Can the same product data power multiple outputs without duplication?
If each framework requires a new dataset, new model, or new consultant effort, the foundation isn’t ready yet.
DPP is less about reporting — more about capability
One of the biggest misconceptions is treating the Digital Product Passport as another disclosure task.
In reality, it’s a capability shift:
- From documents to data
- From projects to systems
- From compliance to continuous insight
Companies that prepare early don’t just reduce regulatory risk — they gain clarity, speed, and confidence in how product decisions are made.
Building a foundation for DPP-ready product data
If you want a more detailed breakdown of what the Digital Product Passport means specifically for manufacturers — and how to prepare step by step, read this guide: Digital Product Passport: What it means for manufacturers — and how to prepare
Ready to move from DPP readiness to DPP capability?
The earlier you look at how your product data is structured, shared, and trusted, the smoother the transition will be — not just for compliance, but for how your organisation works with sustainability data as a whole. Book a demo to explore how EandoX helps teams move from static documentation to connected product data.
