Brand Guidelines
This page explains how clients with a Smart EPD-verified EPD may reference the Smart EPD name and display the Smart EPD logo in their marketing, packaging, websites, and communications.
What the Smart EPD Mark Means
The Smart EPD logo signifies one thing: that a specific Environmental Product Declaration was independently verified under the Smart EPD program in accordance with ISO 14025. It is not an eco-label, a seal of approval, an endorsement of your company, or a claim that your product is environmentally superior. An EPD is a transparent disclosure of environmental performance and the mark tells the reader that disclosure was verified.
The Smart EPD logo is a hub and spokes, representing the EPD at the center of a connected ecosystem where manufacturers, verifiers, and buyers all work from the same verified data.
Ownership & Conditions of Use
The Smart EPD name and logo are the property of Smart EPD LLC and are registered trademarks. Use is permitted only under these guidelines, your Smart EPD program agreement, and our General Program Instructions (GPI). Smart EPD reserves the right to require correction or removal of any use that does not comply, to withdraw logo usage rights, and, in cases of material misuse or misleading claims, to withdraw the associated EPD and pursue legal remedies.
Who This Applies To
Any client with a current, published EPD under the Smart EPD program. Media, partners, and verifiers who wish to reference Smart EPD should contact admin@smartepd.com; the rules below do not cover those uses.
Approved Wording
Use the exact phrase “Verified by Smart EPD” and reference the EPD registration number. Do not paraphrase (e.g., “Smart EPD approved,” “endorsed by Smart EPD”) as this implies something different from what the program provides.
Three Tiers of Use
1. On the EPD document itself
As specified in the GPI, the cover of a published Smart EPD declaration may carry only: the EPD owner’s logo, the Smart EPD program logo, and (where relevant) one brand/product logo of the EPD owner. No other marks. For additional cover page requirements, see our General Program Instructions.
2. Product-specific communication
When communicating about a specific declared product (packaging, product pages, brochures, social posts citing EPD data):
- Use the traceability mark for that EPD: the Smart EPD logo, your EPD registration number, and QR code linking to the published EPD.
- Digital uses must link to the published EPD.
- Printed QR codes must be at least 2 × 2 cm to remain scannable.
- Claims accompanying the mark must match what the published EPD actually states; nothing broader, nothing different.
3. General corporate communication
You may use the Smart EPD logo alongside a brief, accurate description of the Smart EPD program, and to list your published EPDs with links to each declaration. The logo may not be used to imply company-level certification or verification of products without a published EPD.
Logo Rules
- Use only the official files provided — no edits to color, proportions, or elements; never recreate the logo.
- Minimum size: 24 px tall (digital) or 0.5 in (print) so the wordmark stays legible.
- Approved backgrounds: white, Smart Navy (#27316D), or dark/black. On photography or busy backgrounds, place the logo in a solid container.
Do Not
- Stretch, rotate, recolor, distort, add effects to, crop, or modify the logo
- Imply Smart EPD endorses, certifies, or verifies your company as a whole, or any product beyond the specific EPD(s)
- Suggest broader or different environmental claims than your published EPD states
- Combine the logo with other certification marks or seals in a way that could mislead viewers about what Smart EPD verified
- Place the logo on low-contrast/busy backgrounds
- Use the icon-only mark
Getting the Files
Your EPD’s traceability mark is generated per publication and available to download directly from that EPD’s listing in the Smart EPD Library. Choose from four styles (vertical, horizontal, on Smart Navy, or QR-only) in SVG, PDF, or PNG. By downloading any of these files, you agree to use them in accordance with these guidelines.
The Smart EPD logos are available for download here:
- Smart EPD logo — dark text, for light backgrounds (PNG)
- Smart EPD logo — light text, for dark backgrounds (PNG)
If you need vector files for print production or large-format use, email admin@smartepd.com.
If you’d like a second opinion on a planned use, we’re happy to take a look. Send a Support Message under the Documentation category with your company name and EPD registration number. This is an informal courtesy review, not an approval of your marketing claims, which remain your responsibility.
When Your EPD Expires or Is Withdrawn
EPD validity periods and withdrawal conditions are governed by the GPI; the timelines below cover use of the logo only. Note that expiry also ends your download access in the platform, but files already downloaded remain in circulation, which is what these timelines are for:
- Expired or superseded EPD: stop new uses immediately; remove the mark from digital channels within 30 days and phase out existing printed/packaged materials within 90 days.
- Withdrawn or revoked EPD: remove the mark from all channels immediately.
- Republishing or renewing your EPD restores usage rights automatically.
Questions?
Unsure whether a planned use is appropriate, or has your EPD status changed? Email us at admin@smartepd.com or send a Support Message under the Documentation category before publishing.
