Understanding antecedents and consequences of Environmental Product Declarations implementation within a product strategy

This paper offers a first attempt to investigate the antecedents and outcomes of environmental communication at the product level, focusing on Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). Through interviews and focus groups involving EPD experts from the lighting, construction products, and food & beverage sectors, we address critical research inquiries. Our investigation aims to uncover internal and external drivers motivating EPD implementation, delineate the target audience of EPDs, and help elucidate EPD’s role within product strategies. Employing stakeholder theory and the relational view, our research highlights the significant influence of key stakeholders, as well as the relational mechanisms facilitated by multinational companies, in shaping manufacturer adoption of EPDs. Despite the increasing utilization of EPDs, challenges persist, including the high costs associated with conducting requisite Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies and EPD registration. Additionally, a lack of knowledge of EPDs among users as well as a lack of LCA experts were considered a hindrance to EPDs’ development. Addressing these challenges through awareness initiatives is pivotal for augmenting the efficacy of EPD programs.