Product Benchmarking for manufacturers
Product Benchmarking lets you compare your products with competing products using verified Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) data from Materials Compass. You pick one of your products as the baseline, add competing products, and see where you lead, match, or lag across environmental indicators and life cycle modules A1 to A3.
Every benchmark uses one EPD standard, so you only compare results calculated under the same rules. You save each benchmark, return to it when competitors publish new EPDs, and export the results for product, marketing, and sales teams.
Who can use Product Benchmarking
Product Benchmarking is part of the Commercial Intelligence Pack, an add-on for manufacturers using One Click LCA.
Product Benchmarking uses EPD data from Materials Compass, which is included with your One Click LCA license. You do not need a separate Materials Compass license.
If you do not see Product Benchmarking in your account, contact your account manager.
How a benchmark works
Each benchmark uses one EPD standard, for example EN 15804+A2, EN 15804+A1, or TRACI 2.1. You choose it when you create the benchmark, and you can then add any product declared under that standard. Results calculated under different standards are not directly comparable, so they never appear in the same benchmark.
One product in the benchmark is the baseline, usually one of your own. The results highlight it so you can read every competing product against it.
Create a benchmark
In the top navigation, go to Analytics > Market intelligence > Product benchmarking, then select Create benchmark.
Enter a name for the benchmark, for example the product line and the market you compare against.
Select the applicable EPD standard, for example EN 15804+A2.
Add your own products and the competing products you want to compare. Filter the list with the same filters as Materials Compass, then add products one at a time or select Add All to add every product in the filtered list. You can add any product declared under the standard you chose.
Select Create benchmark again to create the benchmark.
Then open the benchmark and select the baseline product, usually the product you specified or are considering.
Read your results
Choose an indicator. Switch between GWP, ODP, AP, EP, POCP, and every other indicator Materials Compass supports. The results update for the indicator you choose, so you can see where your product leads on one impact and lags on another.
Compare module results. The benchmark shows results for modules A1, A2, and A3 for the selected indicator. Your baseline is highlighted so you can read every competing product against it.
See your ranking. KPI cards show where your baseline ranks, its value, and its percentage difference from the best performer. Graphs mark the best, worst, median, and average values.
Pick a view.
Simple table: core indicators side by side, with tags, manufacturer logos, and country flags
Advanced table: all indicators, metadata, available life cycle stages, and verification details
Side by side: product images, attributes, indicators, and life cycle stages next to each other
Use the column manager to choose which indicators and attributes appear. Where data allows, switch the comparison unit between kg, m², and m³.
Use the graphs.
Key impact comparison: a dot plot per indicator with best, worst, median, and average values
Radar chart: the impact profile of the products you select
Life cycle stage comparison: a grouped bar chart by product and module
Check popularity. The Popularity Index shows how often each product's EPD is used on the One Click LCA platform in a region, based on aggregated usage.
Open the full EPD. Select any product to open its page in Materials Compass, with the complete EPD, documentation, and metadata.
Edit, reuse, and export
All saved benchmarks appear on the benchmark homepage, with the number of products, the manufacturer groups included, the baseline product, its GWP, and who created the benchmark and when.
Add products later. Open a benchmark and add products at any time, for example when a competitor publishes a new EPD.
Change the baseline. Open a benchmark and select a new baseline product at any time, for example to read the market against a different product in your range.
Tag benchmarks and products. Add an optional tag to a benchmark or a comparison product to keep large sets organized.
Export. Download the data as Excel or CSV, and the graphs as images for decks and reports.
Benchmarks belong to your organization. Colleagues in your organization can use them; no other organization, including the competitors you benchmark, can see them.
Common uses
If you work in | Use Product Benchmarking to |
Sustainability or EPD management | Check how your product actually compares before you make a sustainability claim |
Product management or R&D | See which competitors outperform you and which indicators to improve next |
Marketing | Find where your product leads the market, indicator by indicator, and export the graphs |
Sales or commercial leadership | Give sales teams verified proof points to use in customer conversations |
Limitations
EPDs in Materials Compass only. You can benchmark products whose EPDs are in the One Click LCA database. Competing products without an EPD there do not appear in the search.
One standard per benchmark. Products declared under a different standard cannot join the same benchmark. Comparison across standards is on the roadmap.
Modules A1 to A3. Results cover the product stage. Coverage of all life cycle stages is on the roadmap.
Comparative claims. A benchmark helps you check a claim before you make it; it does not make a public comparative claim compliant on its own. Review any claim you plan to publish with your sustainability or legal team.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I find a competing product in the search?
The search shows only products declared under the EPD standard you chose for the benchmark. Check the standard, then search again. If the product has no EPD in Materials Compass, it cannot be added.
Can competitors see my benchmarks?
No. Benchmarks are stored for your organization only. No other organization can see which products you benchmarked or how you tagged them.
How is this different from Materials Compass?
Materials Compass is where you search for and read EPDs. Product Benchmarking builds on it: a saved, named comparison with one standard, a baseline product, rankings, graphs, and exports. Every product links back to its Materials Compass page.
Can I compare products declared under EN 15804+A1 and EN 15804+A2?
Not in the same benchmark. Results calculated under different standards are not directly comparable, so each benchmark uses one standard.
Which life cycle modules are included?
Modules A1, A2, and A3 for every indicator Materials Compass supports.
How do I get access?
Product Benchmarking is included in the Commercial Intelligence Pack. Contact your account manager to add the pack to your license.