Accurate, consolidated product and packaging specification data is difficult to obtain. A wealth of information about raw materials, formulations, ingredients, and other specifications typically exists at multiple locations along the supply chain. It is generated by various parties, often on old legacy software that requires manual input, and can be prone to errors and duplication.
Some brands and other companies are turning to digitized specification data management tools. Centralized systems are touted as a way to manage product information across the supply chain, helping brands comply with quality standards and regulations. To track and report on a company’s ESG goals. Conduct an audit. and find pricing information.
California-based Specright is one technology developer active in this space. The company collects, organizes and digitizes data stored in a single specification data management system and shares it internally or with its supply chain partners.
Specright’s systems integrate with customers’ software platforms, allowing customers to extract the data they are looking for and bring it into their own software tools. Customers include his How2Recycle, an effort to create standardized labels with instructions for disposing of materials. Mr. Lorax is in charge of ESG reporting. And Trayak to do it Life cycle analysis (LCA).
“Sustainability is all about data, because we need to know what our products and packaging are made of, where they come from, where they’re going, and other details,” said Matthew Wright, founder and CEO of Specright. Because there is.”
“But today, specifications are scattered across spreadsheets, emails, and legacy systems, creating version control issues and risks throughout the supply chain. By having a digital single source of truth, [data from multiple systems and placed in one location]Brands can digitize their product and packaging data and easily collaborate with internal teams and vendors to manage changes, create new products, and automate quality checks,” says Wright.
How2Recycle assesses the recyclability of packaging by analyzing members’ packaging specifications. The information gathered through these analyzes is used to create labels with standardized and easy recycling instructions for consumers.
“When assessing recyclability, you need to know everything about the packaging: What are its dimensions? What are the main materials? Are there additives, compatibilizers, adhesives? What are the labels made of? Karen Hagerman, director of How2Recycle at GreenBlue.
Currently, packaging information is manually entered into a form that members fill out to request a label with recycling instructions. The form is on her How2Recycle member’s platform.
But Hagerman’s team is working with Specright to automatically integrate data and ensure that the information flowing into the program matches what is needed to create accurate and effective labels. The ultimate goal, Hagerman said, is to develop a programming interface for the application that imports the collected packaging specifications into the label request form, eliminating the need to manually enter this information during the label request process. Masu.
“Having more data and making sure it’s accurate and harmonized will help improve producer responsibility, reporting, community program development and education, improving packaging design, eliminating unnecessary packaging and non-recyclable packaging. “It supports industry-wide recycling efforts, such as reducing the amount of packaging used. Consumers have better options,” she says.
There is a growing demand for more sustainable products and packaging.Recent investigation According to research from Specright, 71% of consumers plan to make more sustainable purchasing decisions in 2024, and 82% are more likely to use a product if a brand offers step-by-step recycling instructions for the product or packaging. respondents say they are more likely to recycle.
Brands believe that data is key to gaining consumer trust, which is why they leverage digitized specification platforms to make details such as material reduction rates and associated impacts available to the public. The number of companies is increasing.
“Consumers want to know that brands can stand behind what they say. [surveys] Indicates that the brand must provide specific information. It’s not just about reducing materials by a certain percentage, it’s also about how you do it.Can describe the product contents or provide other information about the product [design] Changes can occur because of the way the data structures are set up,” says Wright.
Trayak has a product and packaging sustainability platform integrated with Specright’s systems. One of the components is LCA.
It’s important to have up-to-date specifications for each SKU, says Prashant Jagtap, President, Trayak.
“If an up-to-date digitized spec is not available, customers will have a hard time finding it. This can be a problem with one spec, but it becomes a problem when you have thousands of SKUs. It can grow quickly,” says Jagtap.
From his position on the front lines, he sees companies struggling to meet their sustainability commitments because it is difficult to mainstream sustainability across the company.
“Sustainability decision-making, analysis and reporting across a portfolio of products and packaging can only be achieved in a scalable manner by adopting the right technology. Digital specifications integrated with sustainability platforms is an important technology,” says Jagtap.
As the data pool grows, Specright will work with brands to capture de-identified information and share it with competitors for holistic improvements when it comes to material sourcing, sustainability reporting, and other best practices. We are considering.
The technology company is also just beginning to explore artificial intelligence. So instead of brands and other companies looking for part numbers and places where they can cut costs, smart technology will do it for them, Wright said.
Looking to the near future, Specright is leveraging its current capabilities to prepare for the anticipated need for more data as policies and regulations continue to evolve.expanded Producer Responsibility (EPR) is currently attracting attention.
“This is a financial and regulatory reporting obligation primarily imposed on European companies. But EPR is coming to the United States, and brands are using data to help comply with EPR laws. Masu.
“These tools have been around for a while, but as policies have tightened and consumer awareness has increased. [of sustainability-related issues]there is an even stronger push for data accuracy,” says Wright.
