> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.variable.global/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Publishing EPDs

> How to create, verify, and publish Environmental Product Declarations from Variable

An **Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)** is a standardized, third-party-verified document that reports a product's environmental impacts across its life-cycle. EPDs follow **Product Category Rules (PCRs)** — which define what to measure and how — and are published through a **program operator** that manages verification and hosting.

Variable's **Declarations** workspace turns a verified Product LCA into a complete EPD draft that you can send to a program operator for review and publication.

## The publishing workflow

```mermaid theme={"system"}
flowchart LR
    A[Product LCA] --> B[Create Declaration]
    B --> C[Select PCR]
    C --> D[Assign verifier]
    D --> E[Sync to operator]
    E --> F[Verified]
    F --> G[Published]
```

| Step                              | What happens                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| :-------------------------------- | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **1. Create a Declaration**       | From a Product LCA, open its **Declarations** tab and create a new EPD. Variable copies the LCA's model, life-cycle stages, and impact results into the Declaration.                                         |
| **2. Select a PCR**               | Choose the Product Category Rule that governs your product type. The PCR controls which life-cycle stages and impact indicators the EPD must report.                                                         |
| **3. Assign a verifier**          | Add the third-party verifier who will review your EPD before publication.                                                                                                                                    |
| **4. Sync to a program operator** | Push the Declaration to your program operator (e.g., SmartEPD). Variable maps its impact indicators and life-cycle modules to the operator's expected format and submits the document.                       |
| **5. Verification → Publication** | The operator and verifier review the EPD. When the operator marks it `approved`, Variable locks the Declaration as **Verified**; when the operator marks it `published`, Variable locks it as **Published**. |

## Program operators

Variable currently integrates with:

* **SmartEPD** — connect via **Company Settings → Integrations** with a SmartEPD API key. Once connected, you can browse workspaces, PCCs, and projects directly from the Declaration sync dialog.

If you use a different program operator, you can still export the EPD data from Variable and submit it manually.

## Re-syncing after edits

If you edit the underlying Product LCA after a successful sync, the Declaration's sync state moves to `out_of_date`. Re-run the sync from the EPD page to push the latest results to the operator. Variable will update the existing remote document rather than creating a new one.

Once an EPD has been synced, the sync popover's title — the operator's name — links straight to the EPD in the operator's app.

You don't have to open each Declaration to check where it stands: every card in the Declarations list shows its latest sync state, so a failed or out-of-date sync is visible at a glance.

## What's in a published EPD

A typical EPD published via Variable includes:

* **Product description** — name, declared unit, and reference flow.
* **System boundaries** — which life-cycle stages (A1–A3, A4, A5, B1–B7, C1–C4, D) are included.
* **Impact results** — values per indicator (GWP-fossil, GWP-total, AP, EP, ODP, POCP, ADPE, ADPF, water use, and others) per life-cycle module.
* **Scenarios** — transport, installation, use, maintenance, repair, replacement, refurbishment, operational energy and water use, end-of-life, and benefits and loads beyond the system boundary.
* **Data quality** — DQR scores, the ecoinvent / DEFRA / Ember dataset versions used, and the Declaration's data quality discussion narrative.

See [Life-cycle stages explained](/docs/help/life-cycle-stages) for the EN 15804+A2 stage reference, and [Impact indicators](/docs/help/impact-indicators) for the full list of indicators Variable reports.