GS1 Sustainability

Enabling the sustainable supply chain

Over the years, GS1 standards have been key in efforts to enhance sustainability by reducing inefficiencies in the supply chain. GS1 helps eliminate unnecessary paperwork by automating the order, dispatch and invoicing process; we help streamline communication between trading partners and minimise costly errors in business processes;  our standards help avoid reduce spoilage, and much more.

With the growing concern on sustainability, there is an emerging need for ways to measure sustainability in order to act upon it. But sustainability is a shared responsibility and companies need a common language for talking about it. GS1 is collaborating with The Consumer Goods Forum to develop standards for trading partners to share sustainability-related information in an automated manner. 

Supporting the Global Protocol on Packaging Sustainability (GPPS)

Key industry players have worked with The Consumer Goods Forum in the Global Packaging Project (GPP) to develop the Global Protocol on Packaging Sustainability (GPPS). This set of common metrics includes over 30 environmental, economic and social indicators for packaging and sustainability. The GPPS is a common language and measurement tool that will enable diverse companies to work together to reduce the environmental impact of their packaging.

• Download the Global Protocol on Packaging Sustainability

GS1 has been selected by the Consumer Goods Forum to support the project: GS1 will provide the standards for trading partners to share information on the sustainability of their product packaging. To ensure reliable and up-to-date data, trading partners will be able to automate the exchange of this data in a cost-efficient and trusted manner, by leveraging the GS1 Global Data Synchronisation Network (GDSN). The GPPS metrics will be part of the product information available about a trade item via the Global Data Synchronisation Network.

• For more information about the Global Data Synchronisation Network: http://www.gs1.org/gdsn

GS1 Sustainability Workgroup

A GS1 Workgroup within the Global Standards Management Process (GSMP) is now  developing standards for the synchronisation of sustainability data to integrate the GPPS metrics in the GDSN "data attributes".

For more information, contact Mike Mowad, Director, Global Standards, at michael.mowad@gs1.org