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COLLABORATIVE APPROACHES TO SUPPLY CHAIN TRACEABILITY STANDARDS
Workshop on Inclusive International Standards Development
Transforming Supply Chain Traceability Through Collaborative Partnership
Download the Report From The 24 June Event in Geneva
Summer Workshop Series
Multiple time zones
KINDLY RSVP HERE
The Opportunity
International standards development has tremendous potential to facilitate trade and innovation. However, current approaches often limit meaningful participation from all WTO member countries, taking 5-7 years to complete with implementation challenges that disproportionately affect smaller economies.
Our Collaborative Solution
An inclusive three-phase methodology that ensures every WTO member country has a meaningful voice in standards development while significantly reducing development time and improving implementation success.
Principles
Our collaborative and inclusive process is built upon the following key principles:
Your Priorities Drive The Process
Standards development starts with what matters to your key exports
Equal Voice for All Member Countries
Meaningful participation throughout, not just final approval
Implementation Designed for Success
Practical tools and support for diverse economic contexts
Collaborative Standards Development: A Strategic Partnership Opportunity
Traditional standards development, while effective, faces increasing challenges in our rapidly evolving global economy. Implementation delays, limited stakeholder engagement, and adoption barriers reduce the economic impact of well-intentioned standards.
Our Solution: Pre-standardization collaboration using human-centric design methodology and innovation flywheel approaches that ensure implementation readiness before standards publication.
Proven Results: 40% faster implementation, 25% higher adoption rates, and enhanced global harmonization across diverse economic and cultural contexts.
Why Collaborative Pre-Standardization Works
Early Stakeholder Integration: Instead of consulting stakeholders about completed drafts, we engage them in the design process itself. This ensures that implementation requirements, cultural contexts, and practical constraints are incorporated from the beginning.
Innovation Flywheel Effect: Our iterative methodology creates momentum where each collaboration cycle generates insights that improve subsequent cycles, accelerating both development and adoption.
Global-Local Balance: Human-centric design ensures standards work effectively across diverse cultural, economic, and technological contexts while maintaining global harmonization objectives.
Summer Workshop Series & Strategic Consultation
Complimentary Summer Workshop Series
"Designing Standards for Implementation Success"
We are pleased to offer a complimentary workshop series generously sponsored to advance open collaboration for all. This hands-on learning opportunity provides direct experience with collaborative methodologies alongside global partners.
Workshop Details:
Format: Interactive virtual workshops with global participation
Duration: 3 sessions × 2 hours each
Timing: July-September 2025 (multiple time zones available)
Participants: Standards professionals, policymakers, industry leaders
Cost: Completely sponsored - no cost to participants
Workshop Modules:
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Stakeholder Mapping & Engagement Design: Learn to identify and engage all affected parties across value chains
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Human-Centric Standards Workshop Facilitation: Master collaborative problem-solving methodologies
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Implementation Readiness Planning: Design standards for day-one adoption success
No Obligation: Participate to learn collaborative methodologies with no commitments or expectations beyond knowledge sharing and mutual learning.
Our Partners:
Services are provided by the broader team which includes a global network of standards development professionals, industry leaders, and academic researchers committed to enhancing the effectiveness of international standards through collaborative innovation.
Our collaborators include ASTM International, GS1, UN-ECE (UN/CEFACT), and other standards organizations across five continents. Our independent service providers include TOTEM, Steptoe LLP and FixLog Consulting, The Qlever Company, and Blockticity.
OUR PARTNERS
About The Collaboratory
The Collaboratory for Open Software & Systems in Ag & Food (COSSAF) is a non-profit organization with a mission to revolutionize how value is created and shared across agricultural and food systems.
Agriculture and food systems face critical challenges in safety, security, sustainability, and social impact. COSSAF addresses these through:
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Pre-commercial facilitation of open collaboration
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Focus on decentralized, interoperable solutions
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Emphasis on equitable value creation and distribution
Our established partnerships and active projects provide a strong foundation for rapid scaling and sustainable impact.
CONTACT US
Inquiries
For any inquiries, questions or commendations, please email us using the contact form below.