The British Standards Institution (BSI), the business improvement and standards company, has joined a new Innovate UK project as a consortium partner to help digitise the UK’s fresh produce supply chains.
The two-year ‘Trusted Bytes’ initiative led by Produce Logistics will see the use of digital technology to facilitate the flow of goods across international borders and increase efficiency for the UK food sector. This will help to create proof of food provenance by digitising critical border transfer processes while also providing seamless real-time digital connectivity to supply chain operators. It will also enable a trusted data exchange that connects the supply chain with central government and other critical partners enhancing cross border transition, compliance and security.
BSI’s involvement includes the development of an API (Application Programming Interface) for customs clearance that will be compliant with the World Customs Organization’s SAFE Framework of Standards for AEOs (Authorized Economic Operators) and integrated to HM Revenue & Customs, enabling crucial cross-border efficiencies and assurance. The BSI team will take a leading technology development role in the consortium, combining the use of leading supply chain standards (GS/1) and key data interoperability.
“We’re delighted to be a part of this initiative which aims to drive productivity within UK and international supply chains,” commented Dan Purtell, Group Innovation Director at BSI. “Digital transformation is changing the way organisations operate and we’re confident that, by bringing together our expertise in supply chain security and trade compliance with the latest technology, we can help improve transparency, increase resilience and enhance long-term sustainability.”
