Understanding Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)

Understanding Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)

By Kaynat Advisory January 18, 2025

As sustainability expectations grow across industries, particularly in construction and manufacturing, organisations are being asked to provide transparent information about the environmental impacts of their products.

One of the most widely used tools for this purpose is the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD).

What is an Environmental Product Declaration?

An Environmental Product Declaration is a standardised, third-party verified document that communicates the environmental impact of a product across its life cycle.

EPDs are based on a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) – a methodology used to measure environmental impacts associated with all stages of a product’s life. This includes:

• raw material extraction
• manufacturing processes
• energy and resource use
• transportation
• product use and end-of-life disposal

By compiling this data into a structured and verified document, EPDs provide a transparent and credible way for organisations to communicate environmental performance.

Why are EPDs becoming more important?

Although EPDs are not currently mandatory for most companies in the UAE, they are increasingly requested in several contexts.

Common drivers include:

• Green building certification schemes such as LEED and Estidama
• Sustainability-focused procurement processes
• Supply chain transparency requirements from large buyers

In many industries, particularly construction materials and manufacturing, EPDs are becoming a competitive differentiator in tenders and project bids.

The real challenge: preparation

For many businesses, the main challenge is not the creation of the EPD itself, but rather the preparation required beforehand.

Key questions organisations often face include:

• Which products should be prioritised for an EPD?
• What operational and environmental data needs to be collected?
• How should internal teams prepare for the LCA process?

Addressing these questions early can help streamline the entire process and reduce both time and cost.

Looking ahead

As sustainability expectations continue to evolve globally, product-level environmental transparency is likely to become increasingly important.

Organisations that begin developing structured environmental data today will be better prepared for future EPD requirements and evolving sustainability standards.