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Product Sustainability Data

Data management1/5/2026Intermediate Level

Product sustainability data encompasses environmental, social, and governance (ESG) information about a product, crucial for conscious consumer choices and compliance.

What is Product Sustainability Data? (Definition)

Product sustainability data is information about how a product affects the environment and society. It tracks a product from the moment materials are sourced until the item is recycled or thrown away. This data includes details like carbon footprints, water usage, and energy consumption. It also covers social factors like fair labor practices and official certifications. Businesses use this information to be transparent about their environmental impact. It helps customers make better choices based on their own values. Tools like WISEPIM help brands organize these details so they can share accurate sustainability claims with their shoppers.

Why Product Sustainability Data is Important for E-commerce

Product sustainability data helps online stores meet the growing demand for ethical products. Many shoppers now choose brands based on their environmental impact. Displaying clear facts about how a product is made builds trust and improves your reputation. This information helps your brand stand out from competitors. It also ensures you follow new laws like the EU Digital Product Passport. Sharing these details helps you reach eco-conscious buyers and increases your sales.

Examples of Product Sustainability Data

  • 1A clothing brand labels a jacket as 100% recycled polyester with a GRS certification.
  • 2An electronics store lists the energy efficiency rating and repairability score for a washing machine.
  • 3A food company shares the organic certification and fair trade sourcing details for its coffee beans.
  • 4A furniture store states that a table uses sustainably harvested, FSC-certified wood.

How WISEPIM Helps

  • Centralized Sustainability Data WISEPIM stores all product sustainability data in one place. This includes certifications and carbon footprint details. It keeps your information accurate and consistent across your business.
  • Enhanced Transparency You can share sustainability details across all your sales channels. This helps customers make better choices and builds trust in your brand.
  • Compliance and Reporting WISEPIM helps you meet environmental rules and internal reporting needs. It keeps your data organized so you can find what you need for audits or reports quickly.

Common Mistakes with Product Sustainability Data

  • Making vague claims about being eco-friendly without proof is called greenwashing. This confuses customers and ruins trust in your brand.
  • Storing sustainability info separately from other product data causes errors. Using a tool like WISEPIM helps you keep all your data in one reliable place.
  • Many companies ignore the impact of shipping or how to recycle a product. You must track every stage of an item's life to get the full story.
  • Accepting a supplier's word without checking the facts is a common error. This often leads to publishing wrong or misleading information on your website.
  • Using different rules to measure impact makes it hard to compare items. Stick to one standard so you can show clear progress over time.

Tips for Product Sustainability Data

  • Set clear rules for your data. Assign specific tasks to team members for collecting and checking sustainability information.
  • Store all sustainability details in WISEPIM. This keeps your information organized and consistent across every sales channel.
  • Verify your claims with proof. Use certificates and supplier data to show your environmental impact is real.
  • Share specific facts about your products. Avoid vague words and instead use real numbers or details that customers can check.
  • Use standard reporting methods like the GHG Protocol. These common rules help you compare your data with others in the industry.

Trends Surrounding Product Sustainability Data

  • AI-powered data collection and verification: Leveraging AI to automate the gathering, analysis, and validation of sustainability data from diverse sources.
  • Enhanced supply chain transparency through blockchain: Utilizing blockchain technology for immutable tracking of materials and processes from source to consumer.
  • Integration of sustainability attributes into PIM/MDM systems: Centralizing and standardizing sustainability data alongside other product information for unified management and distribution.
  • Increased regulatory pressure and mandatory reporting: Growing demand for standardized and verifiable sustainability disclosures, driven by legislation like the EU Green Claims Directive.
  • Personalized sustainability insights for consumers: Delivering tailored product recommendations and impact assessments based on individual consumer sustainability preferences.

Tools for Product Sustainability Data

  • WISEPIM: Centralized management of all product data, including sustainability attributes, certifications, and related assets, for consistent distribution across all sales channels.
  • Akeneo: A PIM solution that allows businesses to enrich and manage extensive product information, including sustainability details and compliance attributes.
  • Salsify: A Product Experience Management (PXM) platform that centralizes product content, including sustainability claims, for syndication to various e-commerce platforms.
  • EcoVadis: A platform for assessing and rating the sustainability performance of suppliers, facilitating data collection for supply chain sustainability.
  • Supply chain traceability platforms (e.g., Transparency-One): Tools designed to track the origin and journey of raw materials and components to ensure ethical and sustainable sourcing.

Related Terms

digital product passportdata enrichmentdata governanceproduct attributeproduct contentchannel specific data requirements

Also Known As

ESG product datagreen product dataethical product dataeco-label data