Sustainability Data Exchange Hub (SustainHub)

SustainHub is a research project with the goal of developing an integrated network solution for managing product compliance and sustainability data across the supply chain

The project is funded by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework Programme.
There is an increasing demand for ecoefficient products and services, provoked by public opinion, and being incorporated into legislation worldwide. Customer-driven requirements and company strategic goals go beyond the law and are becoming integral to company policies. For the global Electronics and Automotive industries, eco-efficient products are emerging as a critical competitive factor in the marketplace. Large OEM companies have internalized this trend and passed the requirements on to their suppliers. However, due to complicated and dynamic reporting requirements, suppliers are frequently overwhelmed. Lack of data and insufficient options for integration into internal processes have inhibited data transparency and compliance processes, impeding product innovation.

SustainHub is set to solve these problems. It will provide an efficient, integrated system for the generation, validation and transmission of sustainability data across entire supply chain. SustainHub’s data architecture is designed to meet all data exchange needs in a sustainable world, allowing for maximum traceability and transparency.

Product Compliance & Sustainability Data in a one-stop solution
SustainHub is set to revolutionize sustainability data exchange, allowing companies to save money through faster data input and data collection, better monitoring tools, and quicker time- to- market. It will realize the six demands for the supply chain data exchange of the future:
1. Adaptability
With rapidly changing data reporting requirements, it is imperative that an exchange hub is able to adapt, with an architecture that is not tied to any platform, data format, or content. Materials reporting, emissions tracking, sustainability reporting can be mapped.
2. Freemium
Existing data exchange systems charge companies for providing data. SustainHub is different: it incentivizes participants. Basic functionality is available free of charge.
3. Re-Use of existing data
Any existing information on material reporting, compliance, from any information channel, must be made available for re-use. The data exchange of the future will work as an automated ‘address book’ or ‘search engine’ to find specific pieces of information.
4. Flexible & Secure Data Package
One data package fit for every conceivable type of reporting. Information will be accessible through individual access keys.
5. Customized data organization
The data exchange will act as a conduit for the data and not as a storage databank. This means that data organization is not dictated by the system, but by the user’s needs.
6. Future-proof
The data exchange is built openly to allow for incorporation of new data formats.
Project Partners: Frauenhofer Institute, CoreSource AB, Intertek AB, Rapid-i GmbH, Board of Innovation BVBA, University of Ulm, Denkstatt GmbH, iPoint-systems GmbH, University of Graz, Microelectronia S.A., Johnson Control GmbH, AGFA Health Care, Continental Teves AG & Co., HG, IDEA-International Distribution of Electronics Association, Consorzio Tecnoimprese

For further information: www.sustainhub-research.eu