Introduction: Your Data, Your Identity
In today’s digital world, data is more than just a record; it is identity. In supply chains, where products travel across countries and categories, data often serves as the only proof of who did what, when, and where.
However, many participants in the value chain — especially primary producers, small-scale processors, and niche service providers — are often overlooked in the digital systems that represent them. Others collect and use their data, often monetising it. They take part in the system but do not control their own story within it.
This problem is not just about technology. It is a flaw in the way digital systems were developed during the Web 2.0 era. This flaw prevents us from fully achieving traceability, trust, and value creation in modern supply chains.
The Web 2.0 Supply Chain: Centralised, Extractive, Limiting
Many industries today rely on digital systems built on a Web 2.0 model. These are centralised platforms where one company controls where data is stored, processed, and managed, often a software provider or a leading firm.
While these systems offer convenience, they have some downsides:
- Data is locked up — users can’t access or use their data across different systems.
- Users lose control — once data is uploaded, it may get locked in, changed, or shared without permission.
- Value is unevenly shared — those who contribute the most, like primary producers, often get the least recognition or return.
This model may have been effective early on in digital transformation, but it doesn’t align with a future that requires transparency, collaboration, and accountability.
A New Model: Digital Ecosystems Built on Web3 Principles
What’s emerging is not just new tools — it’s a new way of doing business.
Web 3.0 isn’t just about crypto hype. At its core, it’s about owning data, connecting directly with others, and controlling your identity. In supply chains, this means shifting from a platform-focused approach to a system where everyone involved can:
- Own their data.
- Decide what to share and with whom.
- Be verified through global standards (like GS1).
- Remain visible and accountable throughout the product's life cycle.
Instead of putting data on someone else’s platform, each participant shares linked data that keeps its source, context, and integrity — from producer to retailer.
Identity Through Data: Trust Built by Design
In decentralised systems, data is no longer just disconnected facts in someone else's system. It serves as proof of identity and activity, secured with cryptographic signatures, timestamps, and traceable information.
This is where Digital Product Passports (DPPs) come in. DPPs are digital containers of data that travel with the product. They are created with input from everyone involved in the supply chain. A DPP can show:
- Where a product was made (GLN – farm level).
- What the product is (GTIN – item level).
- When it changed hands (EPCIS event data).
- Who handled it and which certifications they have.
Importantly, each of these data points belongs to the contributor, not the platform. This represents a significant change. Data is now linked, rather than extracted. Trust is built in, rather than imposed from above.
Why This Shift Matters Now
Global supply chains are facing challenges:
- Regulators are enforcing stricter rules on traceability and sustainability.
- Consumers want more transparency.
- Buyers need real-time proof of claims.
- Producers want to be recognised in systems that represent them.
The move from Web 2.0 to Web 3.0 systems is not just needed — it’s becoming necessary. It’s the only way to:
- Build lasting trust in complex value chains.
- Protect the independence and identity of participants.
- Allow collaboration while maintaining control.
What Comes Next
We are starting a big change in how supply chains think about sharing digital information. This change begins with two key questions: Who owns the data? What story does that data tell?
In future posts, we will discuss how:
- Ecosystems can grow and be managed without a central authority.
- Using GS1 standards enables the sharing of data without the need for central control.
- How Digital Product Passports work in real life.
For now, keep this in mind:
If you don’t own your data, you don’t own your identity. If you don’t own your identity, you will always be invisible, even in a fully traceable supply chain.