Visit Traceability is not a new concept in business. For several centuriesthe origin and destination of products have been checked for the payment of taxes or the implementation of embargoes.
The list of areas concerned is constantly expanding: public health and public health and safetyequipment safety and compliance with standards are the most obvious examples. money laundering or arms trafficking and the collection of customs duties.
Food processing, l'aeronautics, l'pharmaceutical industry are among the most advanced in terms of traceability, and the retail sector, driven by consumer pressure, is really beginning to measure the stakes. the stakes.
Traceability: current features
Today, traceability means tracking and recording record the originroute and destination of products, materials and information information throughout the supply chain from the manufacturer or its supplier to the end consumer.
In the retail sector, traceability tools play a crucial role in guaranteeing transparency and responsibility throughout the supply chain. They enable retailers to track and control the sourcing, production, transport and storage of goods.
Beyond the constraints, the challenges
The benefits in terms of safety, compliance and consumer confidence make them a valuable investment for many companies and industries.
Transparency and accountability
Traceability promotes transparency throughout the supply chain, boosting consumer confidence. It also enables responsibility to be assigned in the event of a problem, which can deter illegal or negligent practices.
Food safety and product recall
Traceability enables foodstuffs to be traced back to their origin, and potential sources of contamination or spoilage to be quickly identified. consumer safety. It enables quickly identify affected product batches and to recall them from the market in a targeted manner, thus avoiding potentially serious consequences for consumers and companies.
Regulatory compliance
Many industries are subject to strict traceability regulations. Providing precise information on the origin, production conditions and transport of products is essential to comply with legal standards.
What limits can be pushed back to improve traceability?
While traceability is an important aspect of supply chain management, there are a number of limitations and challenges facing organizations.
Data availability and accuracy
Traceability relies on the recording and capture of accurate and reliable data throughout the supply chain. However, data is not always available, and may be incomplete or inaccurate. The lack of transparency and visibility of certain stages in the supply chain, data entry data entry errorssystem failures or non-standardized non-standardized data formats limit the effectiveness of traceability, which diminishes over time.
Indeed, as products move through the supply chain and undergo transformations, the ability to trace their complete history diminishes. For perishable goods, the time constraints for effective traceability are even greater.
Supply chain complexity
Supply chains can involve several levels of suppliers, subcontractors and intermediaries. Obtaining detailed information from secondary or tertiary suppliers to trace the origin and movement of each component or ingredient can be particularly difficult.
Regulatory compliance
Traceability requirements and regulations can vary from one country to another, and from one regional organization to another. This creates difficulties for companies operating in several countries, as they have to comply with different regulatory frameworks. International trade agreements further complicate the aspects to be taken into account
Cost and resource implications
Implementing and maintaining traceability systems requires significant investment in technology, infrastructure and personnel. Smaller organizations or those with limited resources may find it difficult to maintain robust and reliable traceability processes.
Which tools for which traceability?
To help them cope with these difficulties, companies have access to tools and information. States and supra-national and international organizations provide tools, advice and services dedicated to supporting companies.
Increasingly powerful and/or specialized traceability tools are now available, such as :
Supply Chain Management (SCM) software
Many SCM software packages incorporate traceability functions. These systems enable you to manage and optimize the entire supply chain, including product tracking and traceability. They can offer functions such as inventory management, order tracking and visibility of supplier and customer relationships.
Specialized traceability software
Specially designed for the food or pharmaceutical industries, for example, this software manages regulatory compliance, ingredient tracking, product processing and distribution. This type of software often integrates functions such as allergen tracking, serialization, batch tracking, recall management and compliance reporting.
Blockchain-based traceability platforms
Blockchain technology is increasingly used in traceability software. It provides a decentralized, immutable ledger where supply chain data can be securely stored and verified. Blockchain-based traceability platforms offer greater transparency, security and trust between supply chain participants.
A new impetus: CSR
Corporate Social Responsibility refers to a company's commitment to operating in an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable manner. CSR and traceability are two complementary complementary topics to guarantee ethical ethical and sustainable practices throughout the supply chain.
Guaranteeing ethical sourcing
Traceability makes it possible to identify production sites and verify the existence of subcontracting. Companies can implement measures to protect workers' rights, offering them satisfactory working conditions, fair wages and the absence of child or forced labor. the absence of child or forced labor. By implementing traceability systems, companies can verify the existence of fair and ethical and ethical sourcing practices.
Environmental sustainability
Traceability helps identify the environmental footprint of the supply chain, enabling companies to track resource consumption, chemical use and waste generation at every stage. This information enables companies to adopt environmentally-friendly practices, such as the use of organic or recycled materials. organic or recycled materialsThis information enables companies to adopt environmentally-friendly practices, such as using organic or recycled materials, reducing water and energy consumption, and implementing recycling and waste reprocessing programs, thus reinforcing their CSR efforts.
Product safety and quality
Traceability is essential to guarantee the safety product safety and quality. By monitoring the supply chain, companies can identify potential product quality problems, such as faulty materials or manufacturing processes. defective materials or manufacturing processes. This enables timely intervention, such as recalls, to ensure customer satisfaction and safety. Compliance with high product standards is in line with CSR principles and demonstrates a commitment to consumer well-being.
Increased consumer confidence
Consumers are increasingly concerned about the social and environmental impact of the products they buy. By providing them with information on the origin and production processes of products, traceability gives them the assurance that the goods they buy are produced responsibly. It fosters consumer confidence and enables them to make informed purchasing decisions based on their values.
Collaboration and standards
CSR and traceability efforts in most business sectors are supported by collaboration between collaboration between stakeholders. By working collectively, these stakeholders can develop and comply with business-wide standards and certifications, such as fair trade or organic certifications. These standards set benchmarks for social and environmental performance, offering a guarantee for consumers and reinforcing CSR practices throughout the sector.
Ever more traceability?
CSR and traceability are complementary and mutually reinforcing. The implementation of traceability systems enables companies to monitor the entire supply chain, and this transparency makes it possible to identify potential risks and to promote ethical sourcing, environmental sustainability, product safety and consumer engagement.
It is probably utopian to imagine totally reliable and complete traceability throughout an entire supply chain, particularly for products that undergo numerous transformations before reaching the stores. But in absolute terms, and even if it has a definite cost, traceability offers many advantages, not only in meeting legal and regulatory obligations, but also in terms of moral and environmental issues that deserve to be emphasized, publicized and shared.
Implement and improve supply chain traceability?
Given the evolution ofustomer expectations andand the challenges facing supply chainchallenges traceability a must be taken into account to avoid making a company vulnerable. make a company vulnerable.
Want to rethink the traceability of your supply chain or just talk about it?
Sources :
Supply chain info: Supply chain: improved traceability thanks to blockchain
Scallog: Why is logistics traceability essential?
Keyence: Technological innovations and the development of traceability systems
Mecalux: The importance of product traceability in logistics