Table of contents
1. Why we publish this
EPD Market sits between manufacturers and the professionals who create or verify their environmental product declarations. Trust in that match is the only thing we sell. We publish this policy because we'd rather state our rules in public — where anyone can hold us to them — than handle them privately on request.
If this document contradicts something a member of our team has told you in a conversation, this document wins.
2. Conflict-of-interest rules
2.1 Verifier independence
A verifier on our network cannot be matched to a project they consulted on. "Consulted on" is interpreted broadly — it covers the same product, the same plant on a closely related product, or any direct paid engagement with the same manufacturer in the previous 24 months.
This is checked before any brief is sent out. Providers self-declare conflicts at onboarding and update them as their client base evolves. We also run a name-and-organisation check against incoming briefs.
2.2 Same-firm conflicts
If a verifier and a consultant work at the same firm, both can be on EPD Market, but they cannot be matched to the two sides (verification + consultancy) of the same project. We treat firms as single conflict-bearing entities, not individual professionals.
2.3 Program-operator independence
We are not a program operator. We do not issue declarations, host registries, or assign PCRs. If at any point we add a program-operator function, this policy will be updated and our matching role will be separated from it organisationally and financially.
If you spot a conflict we missed — as a buyer, provider, or third party — let us know via our contact form with "Policy report" in the subject. We treat these reports as priority.
3. Placement and ranking
3.1 No pay-for-placement
No provider on our roster has ever paid to be ranked higher in a shortlist. Shortlists are built on four signals, in this order:
- Sector fit — primary specialism matches the brief.
- Region fit — the provider operates where the product is made or where the EPD is required.
- Program-operator fit — the provider has working experience with the PO the buyer needs.
- Availability — the provider has current capacity and a clean delivery history.
"Larger Organisations" tier members can elect a priority territory (one country, 24-hour first look on briefs). This is the only paid-tier feature that affects brief delivery, and it does not affect which providers a buyer sees in the final shortlist.
3.2 No partnership fees from program operators
Program operators do not pay us, sponsor us, or fund us in any form. We do not earn referral commissions for sending volume to one PO over another.
3.3 No featured-partner tier
We have intentionally stopped at two paid tiers: Small Independent and Larger Organisations. A "featured partner" or "premium placement" tier — where firms pay for ranking position — is incompatible with this policy and we will not introduce one.
4. Fee structure
4.1 Buyers pay nothing
Manufacturers using EPD Market to find a consultant or verifier pay no platform fee, no subscription, no commission, and no per-match charge. Buyers receive the provider's quote net of our commission.
4.2 Provider fees
Providers pay one or both of the following, depending on their tier:
- A monthly or annual subscription per the published tiers (Small Independent or Larger Organisations). Free for the first 90 days for all new providers.
- A project commission — a percentage of total project value, with a per-project cap, billed at each milestone, applied only to closed matches. Exact terms are agreed at onboarding.
The commission is the same across tiers. Subscription tier affects what a provider receives and offers — not what they pay per match.
4.3 No referral kickbacks
We do not pay referral kickbacks to any party — not to the provider who recommended us, not to any program operator, and not to any advisory firm we work with.
5. Data and confidentiality
5.1 Buyer briefs
A buyer's brief is only shared with the 2–3 providers we shortlist for that match, and only after they have been selected. Briefs are not visible in any directory, searchable index, or aggregated dataset. We delete brief data 24 months after a match closes (or 12 months after a match is declined) unless the buyer requests earlier deletion.
5.2 Provider profiles
Public-facing provider profiles include only what the provider has authorised: name (if disclosed at the buyer's match stage), sectors, regions, program-operator coverage, and (for the Larger tier) anonymised case studies. We do not publish revenue, client lists, or commercial terms.
5.3 No cross-selling
We do not sell provider or buyer data to any third party. We do not run an advertising business and we do not have a "partner network" that exchanges data for revenue.
6. Provider removal and appeals
6.1 Grounds for removal
- Loss of accreditation by a program operator (verifiers).
- Loss of ISO 14025 / ISO 14040 evidentiary basis (consultants).
- Two or more substantiated buyer complaints in a 12-month period.
- Breach of the independence rules in §2.
- Breach of the no-circumvention clause in the provider agreement.
- Sustained underperformance against agreed delivery dates without remediation.
6.2 How removal works
Removal is preceded by a written notice describing the basis, a 14-day window for the provider to respond, and a review by the marketplace team. Where removal is upheld, the provider's profile is delisted and any in-flight matches are reassigned with full transparency to the buyer.
6.3 Appeals
A removed provider may appeal in writing within 30 days of removal. Appeals are reviewed by a different team member than the one who made the original decision. Appeal outcomes are final.
7. Changes to this policy
We update this policy as our operating model matures. Any change that increases provider obligations or reduces buyer protections is announced at least 30 days in advance by email to all active users, with a clearly marked version number and effective date. Previous versions remain available on request.
8. Reporting a breach
If you believe EPD Market has acted contrary to this policy — whether as a buyer, a provider, or a third party — please use our contact form with "Policy report" in the subject. We acknowledge every report within 2 business days and respond with a substantive review within 14 days.
Summary in one paragraph. A verifier on EPD Market can never be matched to a project they consulted on. No provider pays to be ranked. No program operator funds us. Buyers pay nothing. The commission is the same regardless of tier. We don't sell your data. We publish every change to this policy with a version number and 30 days' notice.