How can smarter product data management lead to a sustainable supply chain?

The key to a more sustainable supply chain isn’t just about the materials or processes—it also extends to the data behind them. Smarter product data management helps manufacturers track sustainability metrics, ensure regulatory compliance, and optimize resource usage. By aligning with industry standards like ETIM, FAB-DIS, and BMDG 3.0, industrial manufacturers can reduce waste, improve efficiency, and stay ahead of evolving sustainability regulations—all while maintaining profitability.

So, why is standardized product data essential for sustainable industrial manufacturing?

Industrial manufacturers handle vast amounts of product data, from material specifications to carbon footprints. Without accurate and optimized data, sustainability efforts often fall short. That’s why high-quality product data is crucial for:

• Compliance with regulations: Governments worldwide are enforcing stricter sustainability laws, such as the EU’s CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive), REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals). Inaccurate product data can lead to non-compliance and hefty fines.
• Reducing waste: Poor data management leads to overproduction, incorrect material sourcing, and supply chain inefficiencies, all contributing to environmental harm.
• Improved transparency: Stakeholders and consumers demand clear, verifiable sustainability claims. Under the EU Green Deal, initiatives like the upcoming Green Claims Directive aim to crack down on misleading environmental claims and enforce proof for terms like “eco-friendly” or “climate neutral.”
  Greenwashing scandals have made it essential for manufacturers to provide credible data on carbon footprints and sustainable sourcing.
• Optimized resource utilization: Better data means better decisions, which helps manufacturers minimize energy consumption and raw material waste.

Your roadmap to sustainable product data excellence

Looking to dive deeper into how standardized product data supports greener operations? Grab our manufacturing playbook for key trends, frameworks, must-know regulations, and what’s next in sustainable manufacturing.

Key sustainability attributes in product data for industrial manufacturing

For industrial manufacturers, sustainability isn't just about choosing eco-friendly materials—it’s about ensuring that every component, raw material, and production process aligns with environmental and regulatory standards. Accurate, structured product data helps track sustainability efforts, optimize resource use, meet compliance requirements, and support internal climate goals like emission reduction targets.

Here are the critical sustainability attributes that manufacturers should integrate into their product data:

1. Energy efficiency ratings for machinery and equipment

Manufacturers must document and standardize energy consumption data for industrial machinery, production equipment, and electronic components. For instance, as an HVAC manufacturer, you must provide energy efficiency ratings aligned with global standards, such as IEER (Integrated Energy Efficiency Ratio), to help buyers evaluate energy consumption.

2. Carbon footprint data for materials and production processes

Manufacturers should track and disclose CO2 emissions associated with raw materials, transportation, and production. There are various industry standards, like the ISO 14067, that help to calculate and report the carbon footprint of each batch of steel used in the construction industry.

3. Material composition and hazardous substance declaration

Industrial products should include detailed material composition data, ensuring compliance with regulations like REACH (EU) and RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances). For example, if you are a producer of industrial adhesives, then you must declare the presence of any restricted chemicals and ensure compliance with REACH guidelines before exporting to the European market.

4. Recyclability and circular economy data

Manufacturers should specify whether materials are recyclable, biodegradable, or reusable, helping distributors and customers support a circular economy. For instance, in the construction sector, manufacturers of plastic piping systems can provide recyclability percentages based on global standards to support sustainability efforts. By integrating these specific sustainability attributes into product data, industrial manufacturers can streamline compliance, reduce waste, and improve environmental impact tracking—all while strengthening their market position as sustainable leaders.

5 steps to optimize product data for a sustainable industrial manufacturing supply chain

1. Conduct a full product data audit

Before implementing sustainability improvements, manufacturers must assess the quality and completeness of their product data by answering key questions:

• Does every product include energy consumption details?
• Is the material composition fully disclosed for compliance with global standards?
• Are there gaps in carbon footprint data?

💡 Industry standard alignment: ISO 14001 (Environmental Management System) provides a framework for systematically identifying sustainability-related product data gaps.

2. Align product data with global industry standards

Using standardized data formats ensures that manufacturers exchange sustainability data seamlessly across the supply chain while complying with international regulations. Key standards to align with:

• ETIM classification: Ensures structured product data, including energy efficiency and hazardous material details.
• FAB-DIS: Helps European manufacturers exchange product data, including environmental attributes.
• BMDG 3.0 (Building Materials Data Governance): Ensures construction and industrial material manufacturers meet sustainability data requirements.

💡 Pro tip: Using a product information management (PIM) system helps manufacturers map sustainability attributes to these standards automatically.

3. Prepare for new regulations with digital product passports (DPPs)

With evolving regulations, manufacturers must provide detailed sustainability information for their products. Soon, the EU will enforce digital product passports (DPPs) as a traceability tool, offering transparency on:

• Carbon footprint
• Material sourcing
• Recyclability and disposal instructions

Manufacturers will be required to embed sustainability data into products for easy access. Early adoption of DPPs positions manufacturers ahead of compliance deadlines and enhances sustainability credentials.

4. Leverage AI and automation for data accuracy

Sustainability reporting requires highly accurate and structured product data. AI tools can:

• Detect inconsistencies in sustainability data (e.g., missing CO2 emission values)
• Automate carbon footprint calculations for materials and processes
• Provide real-time sustainability insights to optimize resource use

Therefore, automating sustainability reporting through AI is essential to reduce manual errors and enhance regulatory readiness.

5. Centralize product data across global teams and markets

Managing sustainability data across multiple suppliers, distributors, and regulators can be overwhelming. A centralized approach for product data management ensures that sustainability information is:

• Consistently updated across internal and external databases
• Easily accessible for audits and compliance reporting
• Streamlined for seamless data sharing with partners and marketplaces

Take Prysmian Group, for example. As a global leader in energy and telecommunications manufacturing, they used the Productsup platform to centralize and optimize product content across 108 manufacturing plants. In doing so, they streamlined 620 in-house product attributes and reduced onboarding time for new data pools to just 30 days. That’s the power of centralized, connected product data in action.

Productsup as your data partner

Optimizing product data for sustainability isn’t just about compliance—it’s about creating a more efficient, transparent, and future-ready supply chain. By aligning with industry standards like ETIM, FAB-DIS, and BMDG 3.0, integrating DPPs, and leveraging AI-driven automation, manufacturers can minimize environmental impact while staying competitive. Managing sustainability data across multiple channels can feel overwhelming. That’s where Productsup makes it easy. But why choose us?

• Seamless data management: We ensure your sustainability attributes stay accurate and compliant across your entire supply chain.
• Automated compliance updates: We help you stay ahead of evolving regulations with structured, real-time data optimization.
• Scalable syndication: You can share sustainability data with retailers, marketplaces, and distributors in just one click.

Learn more about how Productsup helps industrial manufacturers build a greener, more efficient supply chain. Book a demo today!

And don’t forget! → Download our latest guide, the Manufacturing playbook: Optimizing product data to meet sustainability standards.

Explore more resources

• [Guide] PCS guide for B2B and industrial product content
• [Webinar] ETIM xChange explained: The smarter way to standardize and share product data
• [Overview] Productsup for industrial manufacturers