GS1 Germany Supports Companies with the EU Green Deal

The EU Green Deal sets new standards for a more sustainable economy and presents companies with the challenge of efficiently implementing regulatory requirements. With the Data for Sustainability program, GS1 Germany supports companies in developing practical solutions for uniform and transparent data usage.

(Köln) The first publications from the program are now available for free download and focus on the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). They have been created in collaboration with over 40 companies from industry and trade.

Efficiently Designing Sustainability Reporting – European Whitepaper on the CSRD

The CSRD will require companies of a certain size to prepare a detailed report on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) aspects in the future. The CSRD whitepaper provides an overview of the requirements for sustainability reporting and shows how GS1 standards create a common language for data exchange. This enables companies to optimize collaboration with partners and increase transparency in the value chain. “Without digitalization and the essential standardization required for it, the demands of the Green Deal are hardly achievable for companies. This fact must motivate us collectively to further develop standards and achieve a common understanding of the requirements,” says Reiner Sailer, Lead Service Owner Supply Chain Services at Markant. This common understanding was incorporated into the definition of 15 relevant data points based on the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). They form the foundation for developing a standardized data exchange related to circular economy and climate protection.

The CSRD Whitepaper

EU Deforestation Regulation – Practical Support for Companies

The EUDR requires detailed documentation of supply chains to ensure that affected raw materials and products do not come from recently deforested areas. To implement the regulation, the Data for Sustainability program has developed an EUDR Best Practice Standard, which helps companies comply with their EUDR due diligence obligations. This includes a standardized questionnaire model and a recommendation for cross-company data exchange in the supply chain.

The EUDR questionnaire model provides a uniform tool for collecting information for supplier compliance checks to identify potential risks early. By involving relevant stakeholders in the development, the questionnaire is practical and tailored to the needs of companies. “Companies affected by the EUDR want to fulfill their due diligence as well and efficiently as possible. They benefit from a high degree of automation in data evaluation. The EUDR questionnaire model helps to efficiently and standardized collect information, thereby increasing acceptance among suppliers. Therefore, we consider the collaboration in the GS1 Data for Sustainability program as essential to keep the effort for companies as low as possible,” explains Christine Alfken, Project Manager Sustainability Goods at Rewe Group.

The standardized EUDR questionnaire is currently still in the approval process and will soon be made available to companies and solution providers for free use and integration into their IT infrastructure.

The EUDR application recommendation describes the required data attributes that must be communicated between supply chain partners to comply with EUDR due diligence obligations. Three concrete scenarios illustrate how companies can use GS1 standards to efficiently manage data exchange in the supply chain and thus meet regulatory requirements.

The described process begins with the import of EUDR-relevant goods or products from their origin, through the production process, to their provision for retail. The document contains detailed information on standardized data flows and the involved actors. Additionally, it refers to the verification of supplier compliance, including legal considerations for risk analysis. “EDEKA welcomes the use of GS1 to create legally compliant and efficient standards to reduce bureaucratic burdens,” explains Kai Barz, Head of Data Services at Edeka.

The EUDR Application Recommendation

Neutral Platform for Cross-Company Exchange

With these first publications from the program, the relevance of a collaborative approach in implementing EU regulations is once again evident. GS1 standards can form the basis for data exchange and ensure that all actors in the value chain have access to accurate and up-to-date information. Data for Sustainability provides companies with a platform to develop strategies for the structured and legally compliant exchange of sustainability information, learn from each other, and efficiently implement them.

Transparency Enables Decision-Making

This transparency enables better decision-making, increases accountability, and fosters trust among stakeholders. “We consider participation in the GS1 Data for Sustainability program to be essential. Currently, many legislations have come into force or are in preparation that require the cooperation of all actors in the supply chain,” emphasizes Dr. Arndt Scheidgen, Head of Product Stewardship at Henkel Consumer Brands.

Photo: © GS1 Germany