Businesses, policymakers, and consumers alike are striving to make more informed decisions, driving progress toward a sustainable and circular economy. In order to achieve this, solutions are needed to record products’ lifecycles, including their origin, materials, environmental impact, and compliance with sustainability standards. This is key to ensure that information on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) footprints are genuine and thus to combat greenwashing.  

Despite numerous initiatives around the world, challenges such as data standardization and interoperability remain critical barriers to creating a unified, cross-sector, and globally applicable framework. But solutions are now in sight with the launch of the joint initiative of UNECE and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) on the Digital Product Passport (DPP). Under the leadership of the UN, this initiative aims to balance diverse interests and priorities while fostering alignment across industries and regions. 

The DPP is envisioned as a game-changing solution that provides the digital “language” and trust architecture for product traceability, from raw materials to the final product. It aims at uplifting and linking all required data, which allows data to remain with the owner, and be published and linked in a decentralized manner, using existing business systems without obliging economic actors along the value chains to depend on the software choices of their customers or suppliers. 

Alignment with existing UNECE frameworks  

The DPP initiative aligns with UNECE’s prior work on traceability and transparency, particularly in sectors like garment and footwear, where standardized tools for sustainability data exchange have been developed since 2019. Notable advancements include blockchain pilots (2022–2023) that demonstrated the potential of digital solutions to enhance supply chain visibility and trust. These efforts laid the groundwork for expanding focus to include product circularity data (2023–2024), addressing the growing need for lifecycle transparency.

Central to this progression is the development of the UN Transparency Protocol (UNTP), which aims to harmonize sustainability data and enable transparency at scale through standardized vocabularies and adaptable sector-specific extensions. By integrating the best practices of the UNTP into the DPP framework, the initiative scales existing successes to meet the demands of an interconnected global economy. 

Kick-off meeting sets the stage for collaboration 

The international standard project ISO/PWI 25534-1: Digital Product Passport – Overview and Fundamental Principles was launched with a successful kick-off meeting on 25 February, followed by an Ad Hoc Meeting on 25 March. Together, these sessions brought together over 2,300 global experts, serving as a pivotal platform for stakeholders to refine the scope, priorities, and strategic direction of the DPP initiative. The discussions were further enriched by insights gathered through an online stakeholder survey, ensuring that the project reflects a broad range of industry perspectives and practical needs. 

Respondents emphasized the need for DPP coverage across the entire supply chain, including raw materials, intermediate products, and end-of-life stages. Key DPP data expected to be included involves product conformity certificates, recycled content, hazardous materials, environmental footprints, and traceability records. However, major interoperability challenges were identified, and adoption barriers and regulatory support emerged as crucial themes. Notably, 89% of respondents believe governments should recommend a global DPP standard, underscoring the importance of regulatory support in driving the initiative forward.  

Looking ahead: industry-specific symposia and key milestones 

Starting in April 2025, a series of industry-specific symposia will be organized, focusing on sectors such as batteries, textiles, and construction materials.  

The project's outputs, including draft standards and recommendations, are expected to be finalized and submitted by the end of 2025. This timeline reflects the urgency of establishing a global framework that can support both regulatory compliance and market-driven sustainability goals. 

A unified vision for global interoperability 

This initiative is not about creating duplicative or conflicting frameworks but rather fostering exploration, alignment, and harmonization. By building on existing efforts and addressing gaps, the DPP aims to become a cornerstone of global interoperability, supporting seamless data exchange and collaboration across borders and industries. 

We are encouraged by the strong participation and commitment demonstrated throughout the process and look forward to continued collaboration. Your input remains critical to achieving a balanced and effective framework that drives adoption and delivers real-world impact. 

For more information about the initiative, please visit: 
🌐 https://unece.org/trade/events/kick-meeting-isopwi-25534-1 

🌐 https://unece.org/trade/events/adhoc-meeting-isopwi-25534-1