Story by Brett Hyland, Stakeholder Engagement Manager, NATA.
By providing assurance over compliance testing, NATA has long been associated with trusted product supply. In recent years, NATA has been involved in efforts to digitally connect streams of information in support of trusted cross-border trade. A clear template is now emerging in the form of a policy recommendation to governments from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, which is to be made available for public comment in January 2025.
This draft recommendation, relating particularly to sustainable trade, is titled Recommendation 49 – Transparency at Scale and is co-led by an Australian, Steve Capell. Capell says:
“If green claims cannot be relied on, then there is no distinction between sustainable and non-sustainable activity.” He adds, “We must prevent a race to the bottom with green claims, and the best way to do so is to provide transparency regarding the trustworthiness of claims.”
Trusted authorities, including national accreditation bodies such as NATA, have a key role to play. Indeed, one of the core elements of the supporting tools behind Recommendation 49 has been adopted from a UN/CEFACT workstream led by NATA’s Brett Hyland, who explains Recommendation 49 as “a way to collect decentralised information along a supply chain that verifiably links back to the issuer and, where applicable, is linked to a trusted authority.” He continues saying that “while Recommendation 49 focuses on product sustainability claims, the template can encompass any type of claim made about a product, including performance and safety claims, with trust always at the core.”
Even though the policy recommendation is still at drafting stage, supporting tools are well-developed, with several smaller scale implementations completed. A multi-national collaboration sponsored by the UN in the area of electric vehicle batteries is also in development. This complex project deals with tracking data from the mine sources, right through to battery recycling, in a decentralised exchange environment. Nancy Norris from the government of British Columbia in Canada is the lead for the battery activity and, once again, Australians are well-represented in this work, including Steve Capell and Professor Jeanne Huang from University of Sydney.
The 44th UN/CEFACT Forum in Rome provided a great opportunity for international contributing experts to exchange ideas in person. Pictured are the Australian delegates in attendance: Brett Hyland, Steve Capell, and Jeanne Huang.
The three Aussies were each speaking at the Trusted Sustainability Claims session held during the Rome event, where they were snapped (below) alongside UN/CEFACT Chair, Nancy Norris, who moderated that session.
To learn more contact NATA on 1 800 621 666 or at corpcomm@nata.com.au.
