Digital Electronic Goods Passport
🚧 The RBTP credential model is actively under development, and the following guidance will be updated as the project evolves. The Digital Electronic Goods Passport (DBP) was developed as an extension of the core UNTP Digital Product Passport to address the unique requirements of electronic goods product.
Digital Electronic Goods Passport (DEGP): Overview and Use Cases
If you're looking for Implementation instructions, go to Digital Electronic Goods Passport Implementation Guide
The Digital Electronic Goods Passport (DEGP) is a specialized type of Digital Product Passport (DPP) designed for use in electronics supply chains. Built on the foundation of the United Nations Transparency Protocol (UNTP), the DEGP adds fields and structural elements tailored to complex assemblies, embedded firmware, traceability needs, and circularity metrics common to electronic goods.
It is one of several passport profiles in the RBTP ecosystem, each designed for different product types and traceability needs.
🔍 Key Characteristics
- Cryptographically Verifiable: Issued as a W3C Verifiable Credential (VC)
- Purpose-Built for Electronics: Includes optional fields for embedded components, firmware, and repairability
- Lifecycle-Aware: Supports chaining of product states through linked traceability events
- Modular and Extensible: DEGPs can reference other DPPs, DBP (Digital Battery Passport) or DEGPs (e.g., for subcomponents)
🧩 When Should a DEGP Be Issued?
A DEGP is typically issued when:
- The product is electronic and has:
- Embedded subcomponents (e.g., batteries, sensors, PCBs)
- Firmware or software dependencies
- Circularity or emissions reporting requirements
- The product is entering a new lifecycle stage through:
- Assembly or manufacturing
- Repair or refurbishment
- Resale or transfer of ownership
- Regulatory onboarding
In upstream stages of the supply chain, where traceability events produce non-electronic outputs (e.g., copper, cobalt, tungsten), the core UNTP Digital Product Passport (DPP) is used. Batteries, while often part of electronic assemblies, are handled separately through their own specialized profile: the Digital Battery Passport (DBP).
🧭 Who Uses DEGPs?
| Role | Use Case Example |
|---|---|
| OEMs / Assemblers | Issue DEGPs that link to upstream components (battery, chipsets) |
| Repair or Refurb Teams | Create updated DEGPs that reflect changes in device condition or ownership |
| Compliance Officers | Verify claims about ESG metrics, origin of embedded parts |
| Retailers & Resellers | Prove device authenticity, warranties, and sustainability attributes |
| Regulators | Audit carbon, circularity, or provenance data |
| Recyclers | Use DEGPs to identify disassembly pathways and material hazards |
🧠 Example Scenario
A manufacturer assembles a laptop from:
- A certified lithium battery (has its own DBP)
- A PCB with traceable conflict-free minerals
- A plastic casing made from recycled polymers
The assembler issues a DEGP for the final product that:
- Links to each upstream DPP and/or DBP
- Includes its own emissions and circularity scorecard
- Can be independently verified or presented at the border, repair shop, or resale platform
Later, if the device is refurbished, a new DPP may be issued to reflect the updated lifecycle state.
✅ Summary
- DEGPs extend DPPs with structures suited for electronics, assemblies, and embedded components
- Ideal for electronics, especially under sustainability, repairability, and ESG mandates
- RBTP treats DEGPs as a keystone credential for building traceable, verifiable, and circular electronic supply chains