International EPD System: Your Product’s Global Green Passport
Trying to win bids in Europe on Monday and the Gulf on Friday? Specifiers everywhere want an Environmental Product Declaration they can trust. The International EPD System, run from Sweden, has become a stamp of credibility worldwide, and the one of the fastest routes to getting your product accepted across continents.
Why this operator matters
A Type III EPD only sells if buyers recognize the logo. The International EPD System (IES) is accepted in every major green-building rating scheme, including LEED and BREEAM, and is listed by public procurement agencies from Stockholm to São Paulo (EPD International, 2025). That recognition turns one PDF into a revenue multiplier.
Quick origin story
The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency launched the programme back in 1998, long before “carbon disclosure” was cocktail-party talk (EPD International, 2025). The inventors of both the EPD and the PCR still guard the rulebook today, so their formats often become the template that newer operators copy.
Scale in numbers
Growth has been exponential: IES passed 10 000 active EPDs in September 2024, triple the library size five years earlier (EPD International, 2024). More than 400 companies from roughly 50 nations feed that database, giving specifiers a single stop instead of a scavenger hunt.
Credibility baked in
Every declaration is third-party verified against ISO 14025 and EN 15804. IES itself is listed by ANSI’s accreditation arm, ANAB, as an eligible programme operator—rare outside North America (ANAB, 2025). That external oversight blocks accusations of greenwashing before they start.
Licensee network: local face, global acceptance
Regional hubs in Turkey, Australasia, China, the Middle East, and the Americas help manufacturers navigate language, time-zone, and cultural hurdles while still landing an EPD that travels worldwide (EPD International, 2025). Think of it as passport control that speaks your dialect.
Digital EPDs: next-gen efficiency
In May 2025 IES published its first fully digital EPDs built with the new EPD Compiler tool, slashing update times and enabling direct data feeds into BIM software (EPD International, 2025b). Less time in PDFs means faster spec inclusion when architects tweak designs.
When IES is the right move
Pick this programme when you need one declaration to unlock multiple markets, when project teams insist on ECO Platform alignment, or when a competitor’s claim of “global recognition” makes your sales team sweat. Just make sure your LCA partner can wrangle the data swiftly—internal bottlenecks, not rules, are what usually drag timelines.
A credible EPD opens doors, but a globally credible EPD flings them wide. The International EPD System gives you that leverage. Choose it with eyes open, collect your data once, and watch the same declaration work from Helsinki to Houston.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an International EPD automatically valid for LEED and BREEAM credits?
Yes. Both rating systems accept any third-party verified EPD that conforms to ISO 14025 and EN 15804, which is exactly what IES publishes (USGBC LEED v4.1 FAQ, 2024).
Does IES let me publish in multiple languages?
You can upload additional language layers at any time. Verifiers only review the master English version, so translation updates do not trigger full re-verification (EPD International PCR Instructions, 2025).
Can I cross-publish an IES EPD in ECO Platform or ÖKOBAUDAT?
IES EPDs for construction products automatically carry the ECO Platform logo. ÖKOBAUDAT accepts them once they are machine-readable and meet German add-on requirements, typically a brief annex (BMWSB Guideline, 2024).
How long does ANAB recognition of IES matter for US projects?
Federal and many state agencies now require programme operators to hold accreditation aligned with ISO 14025. ANAB recognition checks that box, so bids using IES EPDs clear eligibility screens without extra paperwork (GSA Sustainability Procurement Memo, 2025).
How long does verification take once data are ready?
Third-party review typically runs four to eight weeks, depending on product complexity and reviewer capacity (Environdec, 2025).
Is the program operator accredited in the United States?
ANSI’s National Accreditation Board (ANAB) lists the International EPD System as an eligible Type III operator, so its EPDs meet federal and many state requirements (ANAB, 2024).
About the Author
With a passion for sustainability and a love for complex data, Toby helps manufacturers efficiently collect data from across their organization and get their EPDs done right. He’s especially interested in how AI can support human expertise, helping R&D and factory teams work faster, smarter, and with less friction.
