WIREDGOV

A proof of concept for a trusted location insights platform has been successfully completed.

The SCDP, of which Ordnance Survey (OS) is a founding member, was established to develop and provide critical location insights for assurance of global supply chains. Over the last year, the project has focused on the supply chains of products such palm oil, soy, and wood-based packaging applications.

The Partnership has now successfully completed a proof of concept for a trusted location insights platform; a major milestone. The new platform - a global location register - will enable the monitoring and verification of environmentally and socially sustainable practices at every stage in a supply chain, to protect people and environments.

Research has shown that while many companies have long-term sustainability goals for their supply chains, not many of them have the means to measure their progress. The transparency of insights enabled by the new location register will show where organisations are upholding environmental and social standards for their own and their suppliers' operations, and therefore allow companies to make better decisions. 

There is also a longer-term aspiration for this information to be made available to consumers on the products they pick up in the supermarket, allowing them to make better informed choices about the products they buy. 

The SCDP can enable informed purchasing choices about products such as soy (pictured).

Location insights are a key component of the register, allowing the verification of where assets such as farms, sites, and facilities are, with follow-up monitoring over time. Data and certificates associated with each verified asset owner will then sit on the new register, which will meet global registry standards and will be available to buyers and investors, who can make better decisions in their procurement.

Monitoring global assets will assist with reducing emissions, identifying biodiversity loss, and understanding the environmental impact of supply chains. It will also reduce unsustainable agricultural practices and land degradation through more effective monitoring and smart procurement contracts.

SCDP founders Ordnance Survey, Unilever, Esri UK, Deloitte, and Planet Labs, have since been joined by the Global Legal Entity Identification Foundation and GS1 UK, supporting with the application of GS1 standards as part of the solution. The partnership is now keen to talk to any businesses interested in verifying its supply chains, particularly at COP28, where global sustainability and supply chains will be at the top of the agenda.

Donna Lyndsay, Strategic Market Lead at OS, said:

“At OS we are committed to achieving a sustainable future. Demonstrating the value of this register and getting it to a proof of concept has been a major milestone. We can now demonstrate how location data and technology can help sustainability initiatives succeed by providing accuracy when it comes to monitoring, analysing, and modelling solutions – getting us one step closer to a sustainable and prosperous future. Linking with the connected supply chain and entity experts GS1 UK and GLIEF, now provides us with the global reach this initiative needs to grow at pace. We are now keen to hear from any businesses who are interested in how the register can support their environmental and sustainability goals.”

Charles Kennelly, Group Chief Technology Officer at Esri UK said:

"The SCDP proof of concept has overcome the major challenge of how to give complete visibility into the origin and transportation of goods, demonstrating what is achievable using the latest geospatial technology. New methods of locating and validating every part of a supply chain, involving satellite imagery, machine learning, and mobile data collection, provide the authoritative and trusted data which has been missing until now. This new level of transparency will allow organisations to make better decisions about how they operate to reduce the environmental impact of global supply chains."

For more information about the SCDP you can visit Supply Chain, and if you'd like to get it touch regarding your supply chain management, you can email: scdp@os.uk.