Appendix A
Universal Product Passport Standards (UPPS)
Version 1.0
Effective: May 2026
Definitions and Glossary
Key terms, acronyms, and definitions used across UPPS standards.
This appendix provides consistent definitions for terms used throughout UPPS standards. Definitions are intended to ensure clarity and consistency in interpretation and implementation.
A. Core UPPS Concepts
Universal Product Passport Standards (UPPS)
A global framework for disclosing product-level information across supply chains, industries, and jurisdictions. UPPS establishes consistent requirements for defining, structuring, and reporting product information to enable comparability and verifiability.
Product Passport
A digital record containing standardized information about a product's characteristics, environmental impacts, lifecycle attributes, supply chain origin, and compliance status. Product passports enable stakeholders to access product information through QR codes, NFC tags, or other digital identifiers.
Product-Level Disclosure
Information disclosed at the individual product or product family level, as opposed to organizational or corporate-level disclosure. Product-level disclosures enable granular transparency and comparability across specific products and SKUs.
Disclosure Standard
A formal document that defines what information must be disclosed, how it should be structured, and the requirements for ensuring data quality and verifiability. UPPS disclosure standards are organized by theme (environmental, circularity, supply chain, social) and industry sector.
Implementation Guidance
Non-normative documents that provide practical recommendations and best practices for implementing UPPS standards. Implementation guidance is advisory and does not constitute binding requirements, but helps organizations achieve compliance effectively.
Materiality
The significance of a disclosure topic to stakeholder decision-making and/or the significance of the product's impacts on the environment and society. UPPS adopts a double materiality approach considering both impact materiality and financial materiality.
Double Materiality
A materiality assessment approach that considers two dimensions: (1) Impact Materiality — the significance of the product's environmental and social impacts on people and the planet; and (2) Financial Materiality — the significance of sustainability matters to the organization's financial performance, market position, and enterprise value.
Reporting Boundary
The scope of operations, lifecycle stages, geographic areas, and time periods included in product disclosures. Clear definition of reporting boundaries ensures completeness, comparability, and avoids misleading disclosures.
B. Environmental and Lifecycle Terms
Carbon Footprint
The total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused directly and indirectly by a product across its lifecycle, typically expressed in kilograms of CO2 equivalent (kg CO2e). Carbon footprint includes emissions from raw material extraction, manufacturing, distribution, use phase, and end-of-life treatment.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
A systematic methodology for evaluating the environmental impacts of a product across all stages of its lifecycle. LCA quantifies resource use, emissions, and environmental impacts from cradle-to-grave or cradle-to-gate boundaries following ISO 14040/14044 standards.
Cradle-to-Gate
A product system boundary that includes all lifecycle stages from raw material extraction through product manufacturing, excluding distribution, use phase, and end-of-life. Cradle-to-gate is commonly used for intermediate products and materials.
Cradle-to-Grave
A product system boundary that includes all lifecycle stages from raw material extraction through end-of-life disposal or recycling. Cradle-to-grave provides a comprehensive view of product impacts across the complete lifecycle.
Gate-to-Gate
A product system boundary that includes only the organization's own manufacturing and assembly processes, excluding upstream (raw materials) and downstream (distribution, use, end-of-life) stages. Gate-to-gate is used for process-specific assessments.
Recycled Content
The proportion of material in a product that has been recovered from waste streams and reprocessed into new material, expressed as a percentage of total material mass. Recycled content includes both pre-consumer (post-industrial) and post-consumer recycled materials.
Renewable Content
The proportion of material in a product derived from renewable resources that can be replenished naturally over human timescales, such as bio-based materials, renewable fibers, and naturally occurring minerals.
Hazardous Substance
A substance or material that poses risks to human health or the environment due to its toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, reprotoxic, or otherwise hazardous properties. Hazardous substances are regulated under frameworks such as REACH, RoHS, and other chemical regulations.
End-of-Life (EoL)
The final stage of a product's lifecycle when it is no longer used for its intended purpose. End-of-life treatment includes reuse, refurbishment, recycling, energy recovery, and disposal. UPPS requires disclosure of product design for end-of-life and actual end-of-life outcomes.
C. Circularity Terms
Circular Economy
An economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources. Circular economy principles include designing out waste, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems, as opposed to the traditional linear take-make-dispose model.
Durability
The ability of a product to maintain its performance, functionality, and appearance over its intended lifespan under normal use conditions. Durability is influenced by material quality, design robustness, and resistance to wear, corrosion, and degradation.
Repairability
The extent to which a product can be repaired when it malfunctions or reaches end-of-life, including availability of spare parts, access to repair information, modular design, and ease of disassembly. Repairability extends product lifespan and reduces waste.
Recyclability
The potential for a product or its materials to be recovered from waste and reprocessed into new materials or products. Recyclability depends on material composition, design for disassembly, separation of materials, and availability of recycling infrastructure.
Reusability
The ability of a product to be used multiple times for its original or similar purpose without significant refurbishment. Reusable products reduce resource consumption and waste generation compared to single-use alternatives.
Material Recovery
The process of extracting useful materials from products at end-of-life for reuse or recycling. Material recovery includes mechanical recycling, chemical recycling, and energy recovery, and is a key enabler of circular economy.
Take-Back Program
A system where manufacturers or retailers accept products from consumers at end-of-life for proper disposal, recycling, or refurbishment. Take-back programs ensure responsible end-of-life management and can enable material recovery and product reuse.
D. Supply Chain Terms
Supply Chain
The network of organizations, people, activities, information, and resources involved in creating and delivering a product from raw material extraction to end customer. Supply chain includes upstream (suppliers), direct operations, and downstream (distribution, retail) stages.
Upstream Supply Chain
The portion of the supply chain preceding the organization's direct operations, including raw material extraction, component manufacturing, and tier 1, tier 2, and higher-tier suppliers. Upstream transparency is critical for product-level disclosure.
Tier 1 Supplier
Direct suppliers that provide components, materials, or services to the reporting organization. Tier 1 suppliers are the first level of the supply chain and typically have direct contractual relationships with the reporting organization.
Traceability
The ability to track and trace materials and products through the supply chain from origin to final destination. Traceability enables verification of material claims, identification of supply chain risks, and compliance with regulatory requirements.
Due Diligence
The process of identifying, assessing, and addressing actual and potential risks in the supply chain, including environmental impacts, human rights risks, and governance issues. Due diligence is required under frameworks such as the EU Conflict Minerals Regulation and CSRD.
Conflict-Affected Sourcing
Sourcing of minerals or materials from regions where armed conflict, human rights abuses, or environmental degradation are prevalent. Conflict-affected sourcing requires enhanced due diligence and is regulated under conflict minerals legislation.
Critical Raw Materials
Materials that are economically important but have high supply risk due to geological scarcity, geopolitical factors, or concentration of supply. Critical raw materials include rare earth elements, lithium, cobalt, and other materials essential for technology and energy transition.
E. Social and Ethical Terms
Social Due Diligence
The process of identifying, preventing, mitigating, and accounting for actual and potential adverse social impacts in operations and supply chains. Social due diligence addresses human rights, labor practices, and community impacts.
Living Wage
The remuneration received for a standard workweek that is sufficient to afford a decent standard of living for the worker and their family. Living wage calculations consider basic needs including food, housing, healthcare, education, and savings.
Freedom of Association
The right of workers to form and join trade unions and to bargain collectively. Freedom of association is a fundamental labor right recognized by ILO conventions and is a key indicator of workplace democracy and worker protection.
Forced Labor
Work or service that is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the person has not offered themselves voluntarily. Forced labor includes debt bondage, trafficking, and compulsory labor, and is prohibited under international human rights law.
Child Labor
Work that deprives children of their childhood, potential, and dignity, and is harmful to their physical and mental development. Child labor refers to work that is mentally, physically, socially, or morally dangerous and harmful to children, or interferes with their education.
Community Impact
The effects of product manufacturing, sourcing, or disposal on local communities, including economic benefits, environmental impacts, social disruption, cultural heritage, and community health. UPPS requires disclosure of significant community impacts.
F. Data Quality and Assurance Terms
Verifiability
The extent to which disclosed information can be corroborated through evidence and traced to original data sources. Verifiability requires complete audit trails, supporting documentation, and transparent methodologies.
Limited Assurance
A level of assurance engagement that provides reasonable, but not absolute, assurance that disclosures are free from material misstatement. Limited assurance involves inquiry, analytical procedures, and testing of key controls, but less extensive testing than reasonable assurance.
Reasonable Assurance
A higher level of assurance engagement that provides high, but not absolute, assurance that disclosures are free from material misstatement. Reasonable assurance involves extensive testing, re-performance of calculations, confirmation with third parties, and comprehensive review.
Primary Data
Data collected directly from the specific process, facility, or product being assessed. Primary data includes actual measurements, facility-specific emissions data, and supplier-provided information. Primary data is preferred for accuracy and verifiability.
Secondary Data
Data obtained from external sources such as databases, industry averages, literature, or generic datasets. Secondary data is used when primary data is unavailable, but requires transparency about data sources and limitations.
Audit Trail
A chronological record of data from its origin through transformations to final disclosure. Audit trails enable traceability, verification, and reconstruction of how disclosed values were derived.
Data Lineage
The lifecycle of data from source to consumption, including transformations, aggregations, and calculations. Data lineage documentation is essential for auditability and understanding how disclosed values are derived.
G. Acronyms and Abbreviations
CDI
Canonical Data Intents
CEDM
Canonical ESG Data Model
CSRD
Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (EU)
DPP
Digital Product Passport
ESG
Environmental, Social, and Governance
ESPRS
Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (EU)
ESRS
European Sustainability Reporting Standards
GHG
Greenhouse Gas
GRI
Global Reporting Initiative
IFRS S1/S2
International Financial Reporting Standards - Sustainability
ISO
International Organization for Standardization
LCA
Life Cycle Assessment
NFC
Near Field Communication
PEFCR
Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (EU)
REACH
Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (EU)
RoHS
Restriction of Hazardous Substances (EU)
SKU
Stock Keeping Unit
UPPS
Universal Product Passport Standards