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3 + 1 picks: digital product passports making an entrance at WCEF2024

Are you joining the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF2024), the sustainability superweek in Brussels and online 15-18 April? Here’s a tip: digital product passports are the next big thing. Check out our top programme picks to learn how circular economy embraces data to create new sustainable solutions.

Writer

Katri Korhonen

Specialist, Strategic Management Support and Legal Affairs

Published

The European Commission wants to accelerate the transition to a circular economy, and digital product passports are one way to do this. A digital product passport (DPP) brings together relevant data and information of a product for consumers, customers and suppliers across the entire product value chain. DPPs can collate data on product sustainability, materials and safety, and can be used to improve other aspects such as repair and upgrade services.

Digital product passports will most likely be required for almost all products in the EU single market in the coming years. Want to hear more and be prepared? Here’s how:

1. Join the Digital Product Passport “happy hour”

Monday 15 April at 14:30-15:15, in-person only

If you’re in Brussels, fill your first conference day with fun and games at Sitra’s booth! Come and play with the digital product passport mock-ups: for example, you can follow the emissions of a bag of frozen French fries through the logistics chain. Sitra’s specialists will shed a light on the latest findings of our DPP pilot projects, not just from a compliance angle, but also the strategic business opportunities DPPs may bring.

2. Learn about pioneering Finnish DPP pilots

Wednesday 17 April at 13:00-14:15, hybrid

Join our Nordic Stage accelerator session to learn how Finnish forerunner companies have piloted DPPs to bring together data throughout the product life cycle. Key findings from the textile and clothing industry, as well as transportation and logistics, will show the pros and cons of the current DPP concept. You can join onsite at Norway House (Rue Archimède 17) or online.
Read more and register!

3. Dig deeper: a product passport pilot for batteries

Wednesday 14:30-15:45, live only

Belgian Presidency of the EU partners with WCEF to present the best European and Belgian circular solutions and practices. A Finnish DPP pilot has developed a digital battery passport to improve the transparency of the battery life cycle of mobile work machines, such as those used in mines, ports and forestry. The results will be discussed as part of the “Challenges and opportunities of the European Circular Economy Battery Industry” accelerator session. You can join onsite at the Square (Mont des Arts).
Read more and register!

+1: Indulge in a deep read about Finnish digital product passport pilot projects

During the WCEF2024 week, Sitra will publish a working paper on DPPs, unwinding the key learnings from four Finnish digital product passport pilot projects in the fields of textiles and outdoor clothing, logistics and mobile working machines. The paper also provides recommendations for how EU officials can develop the DPP concept, and how companies can successfully embrace it. Stay tuned to Sitra’s channels to be the first to hear about the report.

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Digital product passport pilots, launched and funded by Sitra

World Circular Economy Forum 2024 programme

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