Security
Protecting Trade Secrets While Being Transparent
How trade secrets are protected in a DPP — tiered access, attribute-based declaration, identity masking and the contractual tools that make it work.
The most common objection to the DPP is: "I cannot expose my formulation and supplier list to competitors." It is a fair concern — and the regulation anticipates it. A passport is not designed to show everything to everyone.
What counts as a trade secret
| Data | Typical status |
|---|---|
| Material shares (general) | Public (already on the label) |
| Full formulation and process parameters | Trade secret |
| Supplier identity | Usually a trade secret |
| Supplier's country and certification | Declarable attribute |
| Unit cost | Trade secret, not in the passport |
| Carbon value | Declared, with method stated |
See DPP data fields and restricted data tiers.
Attribute-based declaration
This is the strongest tool: declare an attribute rather than an identity.
- Instead of "my fabric supplier is X Ltd" → "the fabric was produced at a GRS-certified facility in Türkiye."
- Instead of "here is my dye recipe" → "the product contains restricted list substances below threshold."
Most regulatory questions are already about attributes; identity is rarely required.
Tiered access
Restricted tiers exist exactly for this: a recycler sees the detailed composition, a consumer does not. An authority sees test reports, a competitor does not. See DPP access rights.
Resolving supplier resistance
Your supplier has the same concern. A combination works:
- Narrow the request: the field that must be declared, not the full recipe.
- Give a confidentiality commitment: state in writing which tier the data stays in.
- Offer identity masking: tier-2 identity hidden while attributes travel up. See tier-2 and tier-3 transparency.
- Put it in the contract. See DPP clauses for supplier contracts.
Frequently asked questions
What can a competitor learn from the public tier?
What they could already learn from the label and by examining the product. Competitively sensitive fields sit in restricted tiers.
Can an authority demand my formulation?
Within an inspection, yes — but that is not public disclosure; the authority tier is separate.
Can I leave a field empty on confidentiality grounds?
No. Leaving a mandatory field empty is non-compliance; the correct answer is to place the field in the right tier.
