traceability
What is traceability?
Traceability, in supply chain traceability, is the ability to identify, track and trace elements of a product or substance as it moves along the supply chain from raw goods to finished products.
The concept applies to both the discrete manufacturing industry, which produces products such as automobiles, and to process manufacturing, which includes products such as chemicals. Sub-industries in each category and in different geographic areas may define the concept to fit their own needs. However, at its simplest traceability enables a breadth and depth of visibility into what goes into produced goods and substances.
For many industries, traceability is mandated by national or international regulations for specific industries or types of products. For example, targeted rules apply to pharmaceuticals, children's products, produce, packaged foods, aircraft parts and minerals. Two such rules include the Food Safety Modernization Act and Dodd-Frank section 1502.
Benefits of supply chain traceability
Traceability provides a number of benefits:
- Faster troubleshooting. It offers the ability to investigate and troubleshoot issues related to a component or ingredient. This becomes crucial during events such as recalls, so stakeholders have the means to locate the source of the problem. In turn, this enables a company to either distance itself from a problem -- for example, to say its food or product was not affected -- or to take corrective action.
- Sourcing support. Traceability also offers a way to boost brand image amid consumers' growing concerns about the sourcing and path of what they eat and the products they buy.
- Better business processes. In addition, the data generated from a traceability program can help companies optimize business processes, such as informing planning and supply chain management. It can help address performance issues related to lead times, transportation costs and inventory management.
- Improved sustainability. Traceability is also a key element of supply chain sustainability, a concept to which it is closely related. Risk management, security, triple-bottom line and corporate social responsibility are other related concepts.
Given the complex nature of modern supply chains, especially multi-tier global supply chains, end-to-end traceability is both critical and exceedingly difficult for companies to accomplish, whether the motivation is to adhere to legal mandates or best practices, or both.
Why traceability is hard
End-to-end traceability all the way to the last mile is nearly impossible for numerous reasons, including the following:
- Lack of visibility into remote operations and raw materials sources.
- Lack of visibility into working and environmental conditions.
- Lack of supplier collaboration.
- Lack of support from senior management.
Experts say support from top leadership is critical.
How to create a traceability initiative
To create a traceability program, companies can include the following essentials:
- Researching common standards.
- Get expert advice.
- Align with industry groups.
Traceability technology
Support for a traceability program may include elements such as initiating a supplier program to ensure standards are met and the necessary data is collected, using auto-ID such as barcoding and RFID in support of the program, and mining data from supply chain, logistics, global trade management software, blockchain and IoT.
In recent years, supply chain management software vendors have added more features to help facilitate traceability.
