Customers are already requesting sustainability data, tenders require verifiable evidence, and in many companies, the necessary information is still scattered across various systems, departments, and Excel spreadsheets. The Digital Product Passport is no longer just a matter for regulatory compliance and sustainability reporting. It's becoming a practical task for sales, service, development, and IT. This was clearly demonstrated at the Digital Product Passport Summit in Paderborn.

At WAGO, the Minden-based provider of connection and automation technology, this pressure has already become part of daily business. Alexander Flekler, Circular Economy Manager at WAGO, sums it up perfectly: "Our customers are demanding sustainability data now. Or better yet, yesterday."

For WAGO, the Digital Product Passport is therefore not just a regulatory issue, but has long since become a business case. The company no longer provides product data only as a PDF, but in a format that other systems can process directly.

Behind this lies a challenge that extends far beyond individual industries. In the future, companies will need to structure product information in such a way that customers, partners, and software systems can use it quickly. Dr. Christian Koldewey, project coordinator of the it's OWL project GoProZero at the Heinz Nixdorf Institute of the University of Paderborn, summarizes it this way: "The digital product passport is no longer purely a compliance issue; it has become a strategic one. The digital product passport is essentially the digital infrastructure for a sustainable economy."

Those who structure their product data cleanly create the basis for traceability, recycling, new services and reliable sustainability certifications.

Dr. Holger Berg from the Wuppertal Institute describes the digital product passport as a "digital container".

From data set to data task

Dr. Holger Berg from the Wuppertal Institute, which researches sustainable transformation and the circular economy, explains why the topic is currently undergoing such a dramatic transformation: “The Digital Product Passport is no longer just a data set, but a digital container for product-, material-, and component-related information.” Behind this concept lies a simple idea: In the future, it will no longer be sufficient to simply gather individual pieces of information upon request. Companies must organize data on materials, CO₂ footprint, origin, repair, and disposal in such a way that it remains available throughout a product's entire life cycle.

This transforms a regulatory issue into a management challenge. Berg therefore advises companies not to wait. Those affected by the DPP should now examine what data they already have, where gaps exist, and how their own data management is structured. This is particularly crucial for medium-sized businesses, because they often lack not the awareness, but the time and personnel resources to properly implement the system under pressure later on.

Heavily discussed: The topics of the Digital Product Passport Summit were discussed intensively with all participants.

Without common rules, the effort increases.

As soon as companies start organizing their data, they encounter the next hurdle: standards. Sebastian Schröder of the German Commission for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies describes the task of standardization as follows: "We try to capture everything in such a way that the standards and regulations are designed to be as uniform as possible for companies." Behind this lies a very practical goal. If every industry uses different terms, formats, and data models, the workload for companies continues to increase. Standards are intended to prevent precisely this and keep bureaucracy manageable.

The fundamental question thus quickly becomes a question of implementation. Stefan Schork from ZVEI, the German Electrical and Digital Industries Association, says that companies are most likely to be convinced if pilot projects demonstrate "that the digital availability of data actually leads to positive change, ideally also on the business side." The benefits must be visible in everyday practice, not just in regulations.

Data spaces are intended to simplify supply chains.

As soon as information needs to be exchanged across many partners, standards alone are no longer sufficient. Then, the technical infrastructure takes center stage. Ulrich Ahle, Managing Director of Gaia-X, points to data rooms as an important foundation in this context.

This refers to digital environments where companies can exchange data securely and according to common rules. "Data spaces help to meet the requirements arising from digital product passports much more easily than we can with traditional technologies," says Ahle. This is particularly important in supply chains with many participants, so that information doesn't have to be entered multiple times, sent by email, or reprocessed in every system.

For companies, something else is also important. The DPP is primarily a regulatory instrument. However, its impact goes deeper. When companies restructure data, clarify responsibilities, and make information usable across company boundaries, this changes not only the documentation but entire processes in the value chain.

Lively exchange: Participants networked during the accompanying exhibition and the breakout sessions.

In practice, the DPP often starts smaller than expected.

The example of Böllhoff shows how companies can get started in practice. The Bielefeld-based family business develops and produces fasteners, assembly technology, and processing systems for industry. Their work doesn't begin with a large platform, but rather with an inventory: What data will be needed in the future, where is it already available, and where are processes lacking? The company then focuses initially on a few products, builds a data catalog, and uses it to create a first prototype. "It's important to start early, start small, and first organize your own data," says Dr. Caroline Besse, Material Data and Compliance Manager at Böllhoff.

For Böllhoff, the benefit lies not only in later compliance with regulations. Once the information is compiled, inquiries can be answered more quickly, the sales department is relieved of some of its workload, and hotspots in the product carbon footprint can be identified earlier. The DPP thus becomes a tool for everyday use, not just for reporting to authorities or customers.

The digital product passport is not just a must, but an opportunity.

Dr. Mathias Wöhler, Kannegiesser.

Kannegiesser is also taking a pragmatic approach. The plant engineering company from Vlotho, specializing in industrial laundry technology, is combining the topic with the digital twin and with data from ongoing operations. "The digital product passport is not just a necessity, but an opportunity," says Dr. Mathias Wöhler of Kannegiesser. This information flows back into design and service. Thus, the DPP not only helps with documentation, but also with identifying anomalies earlier, selecting components more effectively, and preparing new business models.

Welcoming the more than 120 participants of the Digital Product Passport Summit with (from left): Dr. Christian Koldewey (Heinz Nixdorf Institute of the University of Paderborn) together with Dr. Arno Kühn (Fraunhofer IEM, it's OWL).

A QR code alone will not solve the problem.

The true complexity of the topic becomes apparent at the latest during the technical implementation. According to Christopher Edwards of Spherity, a solution provider for digital identities and product data, many companies underestimate the effort involved because getting started initially seems simple: extract data from existing systems, generate a QR code, and you're done. "Unfortunately, reality is a bit different." In his view, the Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a "living construct" with dynamic data and ongoing updates. Products are used, maintained, resold, or used in other ways. The DPP must be able to reliably reflect such changes.

For companies, the most important insight therefore lies not in Brussels, but within their own ranks. The Digital Product Passport (DPP) doesn't begin with the QR code at the end of the process. It begins where data is currently scattered, responsibilities are unclear, and yet customers expect fast, reliable information. Those who start early not only gain greater certainty regarding future obligations, but also improve market access, transparency, and the foundation for new services. This is precisely what transforms the DPP from a regulatory issue into a matter of competition.

Impressions from the Digital Product Passport Summit 2026



The article "Digital Product Passport Summit: Why companies now need access to their data" first appeared on it's OWL .