Software development company Helveta has used its experience providing traceability platforms for governments agreeing VPAs to develop software that helps companies negotiate their supply chain through the EU Timber Regulation.
Called Elements, the new platform provides online functionality to help importers and exporters track timber through the supply chain and collect information about the timber entering the EU.
"Elements provides exporters with the data capture, inventory management tools and mass balance calculations that provide the necessary data requested by importers," said David Kennan, director of product strategy. Everyone along the supply chain has access to Elements so they can input the required data.
The data is stored on a so-called Digital Passport which is issued to the importer at the point of export. The Digital Passport contains a URL which holds the chain of custody back to the point of origin and any associated legality documents.
"As soon as the National Measurement Office [the UK’s EUTR enforcement body] or a certification body wants to audit, the importer is able to provide that URL which says they imported 50m³ of sawn, kiln-dried sapele, it arrived on this date, and this is the information on each control point back to the point of origin, along with documents that prove legality," said Mr Kennan.
Helveta’s earlier platforms required forestry operators to input harvesting data on handheld devices but for Elements it has created a mobile Android app.
"The hand-held devices were expensive and worked intermittently and operators had to use a stylus on a keyboard. That’s not too bad for an office environment but for the forest it wasn’t user-friendly," said Mr Kennan.
The smartphone app allows data to be stored even if there’s no network connection. The traditional approach of paint on a tree, and pen and paper, can also be used and the data uploaded on the system later.
If a logging company has existing inventory management software, this can be linked so the data is transferred automatically to Elements.
Helveta has just completed a pilot project with Timbmet on 55m³ of tropical hardwood and Mr Kennan is buoyed by the outcome. He believes that Elements will help companies with the due diligence required under the EUTR and next week Helveta is meeting the National Measurement Office.
"Elements is not a due diligence system, it’s a facilitator, and by collecting more information companies are able to reduce their risk," said Mr Kennan.
Helveta has also had discussions with South American plantation companies that want to increase transparency in the supply chain.
