As sustainability becomes an increasing priority for businesses and consumers, Matthew Ekholm, digital product passport and circularity specialist at Protokol, explores how the EU's Digital Product Passports (DPPs) are providing brands with the transparency and credibility needed to validate their eco-credentials and foster trust.

As we continue to see and feel the effects of climate change, the importance of greater sustainability efforts from businesses and consumers is only becoming more apparent.

We can already see many businesses shifting their corporate narratives to connect with the modern customer and position themselves as sustainable organisations of the future, with UK brand Tesco recently being regarded as the fourth most sustainable communicator in Onclusive’s 2025 brand influence analysis.

Alongside businesses, governments globally are also taking action to become more sustainable and implementing a range of legislation to foster a more circular economy. In the past year alone, the EU has kick-started a range of legislative actions to force businesses to change their ways and become more eco-conscious communicators and service providers. This includes the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), which stands as part of the EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan and aims to advance the sustainability factor of products circulating in the EU marketplace. While it is championed by the EU and applies to products being placed in the EU market, it applies to any business doing this which means many UK brands are set to be impacted. 

In an environment where sustainability claims are increasingly scrutinised, consumers and corporate communications teams alike face the challenge of distinguishing genuine efforts from superficial ones. As some companies commit to circularity while others seek accolades without substantive action, accusations of greenwashing have become more frequent.

Therefore, through the EU’s ESPR legislation and its commitment to transparency around sustainability data, communications professionals are being gifted a powerful tool: credible, verifiable proof of their company's environmental efforts. This not only reinforces trust with stakeholders but also equips brands with the tools to proactively defend their reputation and validate core messaging.

The sustainability legislation movement: fostering a stronger business reputation

The ESPR, alongside the EU’s other sustainability legislation, could potentially be seen as a burden for businesses that place products in the EU market due to their complex and varied requirements. This pressure is compounded by the strain on organisations to present as actionable, ethical, and sustainable businesses of the future.

However, if companies are strategic, there is an incredibly clear way of solving one issue - by simply leaning into another. By focusing on ESPR compliance—especially the regulation’s mandate of Digital Product Passports  (DPPs) —businesses can not only meet regulatory standards but also showcase their sustainability efforts and validate their corporate communications.

DPPs: The transparency partner to back company commitments

By design, DPPs serve as digital records of a product’s journey, having the ability to hold essential information such as the raw materials used in its production, right the way through to information on its end-of-life disposal. This data is accessible via a data carrier affixed to the product, such as a QR code, which is scanned by a smartphone. DPPs can also provide data about an item’s sustainability credentials, like the carbon footprint of its production.

With the data that DPPs provide being accessible to all parties in an item’s value chain, businesses can ensure employees are more sustainably minded by providing an awareness of the product’s materials and their impact as they are brought into circulation. Via this insight, businesses can go further than simply focusing on their external image and actively ensure all employees are committed to the sustainable evolution of the brand. 

Moreover, by having access to such data, corporate communicators can feel assured that the messaging they output is accurate and honest. In other words, DPPs will provide brands with that extra layer of authenticity by providing factual evidence to  about the sustainability of their products.

Similarly, DPPs help businesses increase transparency with stakeholders by offering transparent insights into the sustainable composition of their products. These passports can detail various aspects, such as the origins of materials and key data on raw material extraction processes. By equipping stakeholders with precise lifecycle data, businesses can substantiate their sustainability claims, mitigating the risk of greenwashing through verifiable proof.

For corporate communications professionals, DPPs offer more than just compliance—they're a storytelling asset. By harnessing the transparency DPPs provide, businesses can showcase the brand’s genuine sustainability commitments, offering stakeholders detailed insights into how products are made, sourced, and maintained. This level of openness not only strengthens credibility and guards against greenwashing claims but also deepens customer trust.

Transparent communication and validating green business credentials  

As sustainability continues to become an increasing priority for businesses, governments, and consumers alike, enterprises must act now if they have a chance of surviving amidst these shifting tides. Beyond simply compliance with the ESPR’s DPP mandate, businesses must prioritise their sustainability credentials to be positioned as industry leaders in the modern world. 

By taking a proactive approach to the ESPR’s DPP requirements, businesses can redefine their positioning and emerge as forward-thinking, data-driven brands of the future. With global awareness of sustainability growing, embracing DPPs now presents a unique opportunity to lead in circularity and validate a company’s eco-messaging.

In other words, DPPs can provide brands with a credible platform to demonstrate environmental responsibility and position the company as a genuinely circular, eco-conscious entity - building trust and long-term loyalty among stakeholders.