Think about some of the conferences, events, or webinars you have been to recently that were focused on improving social or environmental conditions in supply chains. Chances are you heard themes like:
- Combatting audit fatigue
- Overcoming traceability challenges
- The need for more collaboration.
The industry seems clear that these are topics that need to be addressed, but less aligned on how to do so.
One of the reasons that this is so difficult, is that before we can enable and power the systemic changes needed to really tackle these critical challenges, there are fundamental shifts that need to be made in relation to how we think about, and handle data.
Let’s look at audit fatigue, for example. The reason that suppliers are asked for the same information over and over is that data systems are closed or exclusive (often to the suppliers themselves, despite extracting data from them), siloed and incomplete, or only available to those prepared to pay for access, or who are already part of a specific community.
But what if, instead, basic operating information about suppliers was open and accessible, built collectively to fill in each other’s gaps, and available to anyone connected to that supplier, including the supplier themselves?
When everyone builds and works from the same base dataset, countless opportunities can be unlocked. That’s why we built Open Supply Hub (OS Hub). It’s an open system that mutually benefits all supply chain stakeholders, from buyers, to suppliers, to civil society and unions, to service providers and multi-stakeholder initiatives.
One of the core elements of OS Hub is making it easier to share data with one another. We do this by standardizing and matching different versions of supplier information as they come into our platform and then assigning each production location a free, open ID (the OS ID) that stakeholders can then use to ensure they are referring to the same location and its data when sharing information or collaborating.
This year, Better BuyingTM piloted the inclusion of OS IDs in their Better Buying Purchasing Practices IndexTM survey, as a means of simplifying its processes. When doing so, they found that very few suppliers were aware of or able to provide their OS IDs. This raises a challenge that we’ve encountered for some time: while suppliers could potentially have the most to gain from getting their data onto OS Hub and sharing OS IDs with their customers, they aren’t aware of the opportunity it would provide them.
Both OS Hub and Better BuyingTM share a common aim of reducing survey fatigue, and lightening the administrative burden on suppliers. Whether you’re a buyer or a supplier, there are a few ways you can help with this:
If you are a supplier, create one open profile you can point everyone to. This saves you having to enter the same information into closed systems over and over again. There is a list of free resources you can use at the end of this article. And, going forward, make sure you use your new OS ID in the Better BuyingTM ratings cycles.
- If you are a buyer, encourage your suppliers to claim their profile on OS Hub and start making use of their ID (see below for links to a step-by-step guide for your suppliers and templates for reaching out to suppliers to encourage them to start using OS Hub and OS IDs).
If we all contribute to building a shared data ecosystem of better and better data, then we all get to benefit from it, too. Because once we know where production is happening and how we’re connected to one another, then we can really make the transition to safe and sustainable supply chains a reality.
Further Resources
- Resources for suppliers: Step-by-step guide for how to get your OS ID and claim your profile on OS Hub
- Resources for brands: Encourage your suppliers to claim their profile on OS Hub and start making use of their OS ID
- Examples from other suppliers who have completed the process (Givachoice, PROTRADE GARMENT JSC, Surya Exim Pvt Ltd, Unifill Composite Dyeing Mills Ltd., Vietnam Garments Manufacturing, Wenling Mingshi Hats Co Ltd.).
- Case studies from organizations like KMD Brands, Mammut, OEKO-TEX, Social Labor Convergence Program, WikiRate, and Worldly on how they are putting OS IDs into practice.
