RILA and Optera Launch DPED v2
Expanding Product Emissions Transparency
- By [ Erin Hiatt ]
- Washington, DC
- 12/09/2025
Updates empower retailers and industry leaders to measure and communicate direct-use product emissions with greater accuracy and consistency.
The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), in collaboration with Optera, is proud to announce the launch of Version 2 of the Direct-Use Product Emissions Database (DPED). DPED is a tool developed to help retailers and organizations align on how they measure, compare and communicate greenhouse gas emissions from the direct use of sold products, including appliances, electronics and outdoor power equipment. DPED is available at no cost to any organization using the database for its own emissions calculations.
“DPED v2 includes meaningful updates to provide retailers with a robust framework to more confidently understand and communicate the use-phase greenhouse gas emissions of the energy-consuming products they sell,” said Erin Hiatt, RILA Senior Vice President, Retail Operations. “By improving data quality and product category breadth, this tool empowers retailers to share actionable insights with their customers and stakeholders, advancing transparency and supporting climate leadership across the sector.”
DPED v2 marks a significant step forward in industry-wide transparency and consistency. Born in 2024 out of RILA’s insight into challenges faced by retailers — who were previously using different assumptions and data points to account for downstream product emissions — DPED provides use-phase emissions from a combination of supplier input, customer surveys, and publicly available and cited sources, all with data quality indicators. Retailers with similar product portfolios can now benefit from greater alignment across the industry.
Since its initial version launched in 2024, DPED has been updated to reflect new data and stakeholder feedback. V2 was guided by input from leading retailers — including Lowe’s, Target, Williams-Sonoma, Inc., Best Buy, and Wayfair — and a committee of industry and regulatory leaders including the European DIY Retail Association (EDRA), the Global Home Improvement Network (GHIN), and the Retail Council of Canada (RCC). The second version brings several major enhancements:
- Expanded Data Breadth: Coverage has nearly tripled to over 500 product types, with new data contributions and additional region-specific emissions factors.
- Improved Data Source Quality: Incorporation of direct data from product manufacturers strengthens key assumptions. Notably, 74% of data sources are now rated “high quality,” including government-provided databases such as the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy and the Federal Energy Management Program.
- Collaborative Development: DPED is shaped by a steering committee of leading retailers and a committee of industry and regulatory leaders, ensuring the database continues to evolve based on industry feedback. This spirit of collaboration and transparency is central to DPED’s value and ongoing relevance.
Retailers and any other organizations using the database for their own emissions calculations may access DPED for free. To support future database updates and improvements, licensing fees apply for organizations supporting multiple clients or incorporating the data into their commercial offerings.
DPED v2 is in the process of undergoing review by an independent firm, which will include a review of the controls and a sampling of data points from the database to confirm they align with the GHG protocol scope 3 category 11 methodological approach. The database will be updated and licensed on an annual basis.
For more information about DPED v2 or to request access, please visit: https://opteraclimate.com/solutions/direct-use-product-emissions-database/
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About RILA
RILA is the US trade association for leading retailers. We convene decision-makers, advocate for the industry, and promote operational excellence and innovation. Our aim is to elevate a dynamic industry by transforming the environment in which retailers operate.
RILA members include more than 200 retailers, product manufacturers, and service suppliers, which together account for more than $2.7 trillion in annual sales, millions of American jobs, and hundreds of thousands of stores, manufacturing facilities, and distribution centers domestically and abroad.
About Optera
Optera is the carbon management platform dedicated to advancing industry transparency and climate action. Built on decades of sustainability expertise, Optera helps corporations worldwide reduce their environmental impact by providing credible carbon accounting for Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, actionable insights and forecasts, and tools to collaborate with supply chain partners. Our clients lead many of the world’s most established and ambitious corporate sustainability programs, from Cisco and HPE to Saks and Target. Optera is registered as a Public Benefit Corporation in the State of Delaware.
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Climate and Sustainability
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Environmental Compliance
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ESG Enterprise
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Retail Sustainability
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Sustainability & Environment