A Program Operator (PO) is the body that owns the Product Category Rules (PCRs) and publishes the EPD. There are 30+ recognised POs globally. Choosing the right one is the second most important decision in your EPD process, after picking the right consultant and verifier. This article walks through the trade-offs.
The dominant program operators
| PO | Region of strength | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| The International EPD System (Environdec) | Global (Swedish-based) | Multi-region manufacturers; multi-sector reach (construction + food + electronics) | Variable depending on licensee operator |
| IBU | Germany / DACH | Construction products sold into Germany; QNG/Ökobaudat compliance | Procedurally strict; longer review cycles |
| UL Solutions / UL Environment | North America | US Buy Clean compliance; building products in North American supply chains | Premium pricing |
| NSF International | North America | Building products, plumbing, water systems | Smaller library than UL — fewer comparable peers |
| ASTM International | North America | Newer entrant; flexible for non-traditional products | Less mature mutual recognition |
| SCS Global Services | North America | Acts as both PO and verifier; useful in California Buy Clean context | Smaller scale |
| EPD Norge / Danmark / Italy | Respective Nordic countries / Italy | Domestic procurement and rating-scheme compliance | Limited recognition outside region |
| PEP ecopassport | France / EU | Electrical, electronic, and MEP products | Domain-specific — not for general construction |
| BRE / GreenBookLive | United Kingdom | BREEAM-aligned UK building products | Smaller volume; UK-focused |
| EPD Australasia | Australia / NZ | NABERS-aligned products in Australasian market | Smaller library |
| JEMAI EcoLeaf | Japan | Japanese procurement; large corporate buyers in Japan | Limited recognition outside Japan |
The decision framework — five questions
1. Where is your product sold?
Start here. If 80% of your sales are in Germany, IBU is the obvious choice. If you're selling federally in the US, UL or NSF. If you're selling across the EU, Environdec gives you the broadest recognition. If you're exporting to multiple markets, you may need parallel declarations under different POs — mutual recognition between POs is incomplete, and a buyer's procurement rules often specify the PO list it accepts.
2. What does your customer's procurement framework recognise?
Some customers and tenders will only accept EPDs from specific POs. Federal Buy Clean in the US, for instance, accepts a defined list. France's RE2020 has very narrow recognition. Always check the customer's accepted list before committing to a PO — switching mid-process is expensive.
3. Which PO is your nearest competitor on?
If three of your direct competitors have IBU-listed EPDs, listing somewhere else makes you harder to compare and may put you at a procurement disadvantage. Specifiers comparing products typically search within a single PO library at a time.
4. What's your timeline?
POs vary considerably in review-cycle speed. Newer entrants and lighter-touch POs (Smart EPD, some Environdec licensees) can move faster than the established players. If you need an EPD in eight weeks, the most rigorous PO is likely not the right choice for the first declaration — you can always upgrade or duplicate later.
5. What's your sector?
Most POs are construction-coded. If your product is electrical or electronic, PEP ecopassport is purpose-built. If your product is food, Environdec runs a substantial food-PCR library while most other POs don't.
The mutual-recognition reality
The ECO Platform federation provides a mutual-recognition mark across many European POs, which in theory means a single EPD can be recognised across borders. In practice, recognition is incomplete — a French specifier may not accept an IBU EPD even with ECO Platform recognition, because RE2020 references INIES specifically. Multi-region manufacturers often end up publishing parallel declarations.
The cheap shortcut: if you're early in the process and unsure, ask the LCA consultant you're quoting to recommend a PO for your specific product and market mix. A good consultant will know which POs have the right PCR coverage and which match your customer's procurement rules — and they'll explain the trade-offs honestly. If they push a single PO without justification, that's a flag.