A stakeholder theory perspective on digital product passport implementation

Abstract The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is expected to contribute to industry-wide sustainable development and digital transformation. However, implementing the DPP poses several risks, and non-compliance can lead to penalties and competitive disadvantages. This paper examines the requirements for DPP implementation from multiple perspectives by drawing on literature and an evaluation study. During the analysis, we assign stakeholders to DPP requirements through stakeholder mapping, identify necessary responsibilities, and facilitate collaboration to roll out DPPs. Following our qualitative analysis, we identified 315 requirements and mapped them to 14 specified stakeholder groups. The stakeholders and requirements can be found in our requirement catalog. Furthermore, we provide an overview of our requirement mapping to facilitate the usage of the requirement catalog. Overall, our study advances DPP research and practice by delivering nine explicit pathways to address uncertainties related to the DPP requirements. For instance, we elaborate on the need for DPP support for SMEs and the exploration of DPP definitions. The proposed requirement catalog informs about essential stakeholder groups and activities for implementing the DPP. It helps practitioners craft compliant DPPs and indicates the current boundaries of DPP regulation for policymakers.