Strategic Focus: Traceability In The Supply Chain
Access this research
Access all Sustainable Supply Chains content with a strategic subscription or buy this single report
Need help or have a question about this report? Contact us for assistance
Executive Summary
In this report, we analyse the ways in which regulations are putting pressure on brands to evidence the origin of their materials, demonstrate the ethical nature of their suppliers’ working conditions and accurately account for environmental impacts. As environmental and climate-related litigation cases against firms are soaring, and climate and geopolitical risks pose threats to supply chains, brands in industries such as apparel, electronics, food and beverage, and automotives increasingly face a push-pull. They now require both accurate product data to satisfy compliance and trusted information to build sustainable products that meet their customers’ expectations. To meet these demands, supply chain traceability solutions are expanding to enable compliance, inform procurement and support sustainability functions.Several regulations are driving the need for visibility into product provenance
Non-regulatory forces are steering firms to adopt supply chain traceability solutions
Core features of supply chain traceability solutions
Supply chain traceability supports proactive supply chain sustainability
Figure 2. Corporate commitments and investments in supply chain sustainability performance
Figure 3. Overlap of traceability solutions for supply chain risk, compliance and sustainability management
Figure 4. Examples of software vendors serving the supply chain traceability market
About the Authors
Guy Lewis
Industry Analyst
Guy is an Industry Analyst in the Verdantix ESG & Sustainability practice. He currently leads research on circular economy software and services and supports research acro...
Elisa Molero
Senior Analyst
Elisa is a Senior Analyst at Verdantix, specializing in supply chain sustainability. Her research covers 100 vendors in the supply chain sustainability market, supporting buye...
View Profile
Kim Knickle
Research Director
Kim Knickle is a Research Director at Verdantix, bringing more than two decades of analyst experience to the evolving world of sustainability. Her current research spans ESG a...
View ProfileOther related content
Industrial firms around the world are being hammered by operational dislocations and disruptions. Labour shortages, supply chain chokepoints, fast-changing import tariffs, rapid sh...
Upcoming / 25 March, 2026
2026 has begun amid heightened geopolitical uncertainty. US actions in Venezuela’s oil sector could reshape global energy markets and supply chain dynamics. At the same time, the p...
03 February, 2026
Over 80% of executives now expect sustainability investments to demonstrate measurable financial returns. Yet many sustainability teams still struggle to quantify the ROI of sustai...
Upcoming / 04 March, 2026
Episode 30 Global supply chains are under immense stress. Whether it’s a case of sanctioned goods and impure materials or unethical labour practices, the potential for hidden ri...
27 January, 2026
As the EU Sustainability Omnibus Package is being finalised, join us to find out what action you need to take now, and how to prioritise in an era of rapid change. Find out: What t...
Upcoming / 24 February, 2026
Agriculture is feeling the pressure. Nature and biodiversity are growing in importance in firms’ sustainability strategies, with two-thirds of respondents to the Verdantix 2025 E...
22 December, 2025